Display of hidden information

ABSTRACT

Information obscured to a user is provided through a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR). A view position relative to a real-world object is established and data associated with an occluded object is received. The occluded object is at least partially occluded by the real-world object at the view position. An image of at least a portion of the occluded object is then rendered on the DHR.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present subject matter relates to displaying information, and morespecifically, to presenting objects and information on a computerdisplay that are hidden or obscured in a real-world scene.

Background Art

Many situations require the presentation information to a user in a waythat the user can receive the information when it is needed and ensuresthat the user acts accordingly. One of many different professions wherethis is important is for emergency responders where the ability toreceive the right information at the right time can be a matter of lifeor death. Traditionally, emergency responders have relied on audiotransmissions over a radio for a majority of their information, but thatis changing with the advent of widespread wireless digitalcommunication.

Another new technology that is making its way into the world ofemergency responders is digital displays. These displays may be on ahandheld device, such as a mobile phone, or on a head-mounted display(HMD), such as a virtual reality (VR) display or an augmented reality(AR) display, which may be integrated into their emergency equipment,such as their helmet. Textual information can be presented to theemergency responder through the display and the information can beupdated in real-time through the digital wireless interface from acommand center or other information sources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof the specification, illustrate various embodiments. Together with thegeneral description, the drawings serve to explain various principles.In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display showing personnel and objects beyond an opaquewall;

FIG. 2A/B show an avatar presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display with different the positional errors;

FIG. 3 shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display showing internal details of a machine;

FIG. 4A shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display showing internal details of a machine in a separatepopup X-ray window.

FIG. 4B shows the scene of FIG. 4A with an embodiment of hierarchicaldisplay of internal details of a machine in separate X-ray windows.

FIG. 5 shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display where details obscured in the view are enhanced;

FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of an HR system;

FIG. 7A/B show a single X-ray window rendered on a real-world machine onan embodiment of an HR system as a user perspective changes.

FIG. 8A/B show a single X-ray window rendered on an embodiment of ahead-mounted display in different apparent positions between a user anda real-world object with different magnifications.

FIG. 8C/D show an alternative X-ray window rendered on an embodiment ofa head-mounted display in associated with different positions on areal-world object.

FIG. 9A/B show different views of a snapshot of the internals of amachine presented on an embodiment of a head-mounted display rendered asif in free space.

FIG. 10 shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display showing internal details of a machine and a handinserted into an access panel.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for creating amagnifying glass;

FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method for creating a 3Dsnapshot;

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart of a first embodiment of a method forproviding information obscured to a user through a display of ahybrid-reality system (DHR);

FIG. 14 shows a flowchart of a second embodiment of a method to provideinformation obscured to a user through a DHR;

FIG. 15 shows a flowchart of a third embodiment of a method to provideinformation obscured to a user through a DHR;

FIG. 16 shows a flowchart of a fourth embodiment of a method provideinformation obscured to a user through a display of a hybrid-realitysystem (DHR); and

FIG. 17 shows a flowchart of a fifth embodiment of a method provideinformation obscured to a user through a display of a hybrid-realitysystem (DHR).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are setforth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding ofthe relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilledin the art that the present teachings may be practiced without suchdetails. In other instances, well known methods, procedures andcomponents have been described at a relatively high-level, withoutdetail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the presentconcepts. A number of descriptive terms and phrases are used indescribing the various embodiments of this disclosure. These descriptiveterms and phrases are used to convey a generally agreed upon meaning tothose skilled in the art unless a different definition is given in thisspecification. Some descriptive terms and phrases are presented in thefollowing paragraphs for clarity.

Hybrid-reality (HR), as the phrase is used herein, refers to an imagethat merges real-world imagery with imagery created in a computer, whichis sometimes called virtual imagery. While an HR image can be a stillimage, it can also be a moving image, such as imagery created using avideo stream. HR can be displayed by a traditional two-dimensionaldisplay device, such as a computer monitor, one or more projectors, or asmartphone screen. An HR system can be based on a device such as amicroscope, binoculars, or a telescope, with virtual imagery issuperimposed over the image captured by the device. In such HR systems,an eyepiece of a device may be considered the display of the system. HRimagery can also be displayed by a head-mounted display (HMD). Manydifferent technologies can be used in an HMD to display HR imagery. Avirtual reality (VR) HMD system may receive images of a real-worldobject, objects, or scene, and composite those images with a virtualobject, objects, or scene to create an HR image. An augmented reality(AR) HMD system may present a virtual object, objects, or scene on atransparent screen which then naturally mixes the virtual imagery with aview of a scene in the real-world. A display which mixes live video withvirtual objects is sometimes denoted AR, but for the purposes of thisdisclosure, an AR HMD includes at least a portion of the display areathat is transparent to allow at least some of the user's view of thereal-world to be directly viewed through the transparent portion of theAR HMD. The display used by an HR system represents a scene which is avisible portion of the whole environment. As used herein, the term“scene” and “field of view” (FOV) are used to indicate what is visibleto a user.

The word “occlude” is used herein to mean that a pixel of a virtualelement is mixed with an image of another object to change the way theobject is perceived by a viewer. In a VR HMD, this can be done throughuse of a compositing process to mix the two images, a Z-buffer techniqueto remove elements of the image that are hidden from view, a painter'salgorithm to render closer objects later in the rendering process, orany other technique that can replace a pixel of the image of thereal-world object with a different pixel value generated from any blendof real-world object pixel value and an HR system determined pixelvalue. In an AR HMD, the virtual object occludes the real-world objectif the virtual object is rendered, transparently or opaquely, in theline of sight of the user as they view the real-world object. In thefollowing description, the terms “occlude”, “transparency”, “rendering”and “overlay” are used to denote the mixing or blending of new pixelvalues with existing object pixel values in an HR display.

In some embodiments of HR systems, there are sensors which provide theinformation used to render the HR imagery. A sensor may be mounted on ornear the display, on the viewer's body, or be remote from the user.Remote sensors may include, but are not limited to, fixed sensorsattached in an environment, sensors attached to robotic extensions,sensors attached to autonomous or semi-autonomous drones, or sensorsattached to other persons. Data from the sensors may be raw or filtered.Data from the sensors may be transmitted wirelessly or using a wiredconnection.

Sensors used by some embodiments of HR systems include, but are notlimited to, a camera that captures images in the visible spectrum, aninfrared depth camera, a microphone, a sound locator, a Hall effectsensor, an air-flow meter, a fuel level sensor, an oxygen sensor, anelectronic nose, a gas detector, an anemometer, a mass flow sensor, aGeiger counter, a gyroscope, an infrared temperature sensor, a flamedetector, a barometer, a pressure sensor, a pyrometer, a time-of-flightcamera, radar, or lidar. Sensors in some HR system embodiments that maybe attached to the user include, but are not limited to, a biosensor, abiochip, a heartbeat sensor, a pedometer, a skin resistance detector, orskin temperature detector.

The display technology used by an HR system embodiment may include anymethod of projecting an image to an eye. Conventional technologiesinclude, but are not limited to, cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), light emitting diode (LED), plasma, or organic LED (OLED)screens, or projectors based on those technologies or digitalmicromirror devices (DMD). It is also contemplated that virtual retinadisplays, such as direct drawing on the eye's retina using a holographicgrating, may be used. It is also contemplated that direct machine tobrain interfaces may be used in the future.

The display of an HR system may also be an HMD or a separate device,such as, but not limited to, a hand-held mobile phone, a tablet, a fixedmonitor or a TV screen.

The connection technology used by an HR system may include any physicallink and associated protocols, such as, but not limited to, wires,transmission lines, solder bumps, near-field connections, infra-redconnections, or radio frequency (RF) connections such as cellular,satellite or Wi-Fi® (a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance).Virtual connections, such as software links, may also be used to connectto external networks and/or external compute.

In many HR embodiments, aural stimuli and information may be provided bya sound system. The sound technology may include monaural, binaural, ormulti-channel systems. A binaural system may include a headset oranother two-speaker system but may also include systems with more thantwo speakers directed to the ears. The sounds may be presented as 3Daudio, where each sound has a perceived position in space, achieved byusing reverberation and head-related transfer functions to mimic howsounds change as they move in a particular space.

In many HR system embodiments, objects in the display may move. Themovement may be due to the user moving within the environment, forexample walking, crouching, turning, or tilting the head. The movementmay be due to an object moving, for example a dog running away, a carcoming towards the user, or a person entering the FOV. The movement mayalso be due to an artificial movement, for example the user moving anobject on a display or changing the size of the FOV. In one embodiment,the motion may be due to the user deliberately distorting all or part ofthe FOV, for example adding a virtual fish-eye lens. In the followingdescription, all motion is considered relative; any motion may beresolved to a motion from a single frame of reference, for example theuser's viewpoint.

When there is motion in an HR system, the perspective of any generatedobject overlay may be corrected so that it changes with the shape andposition of the associated real-world object. This may be done with anyconventional point-of-view transformation based on the angle of theobject from the viewer; note that the transformation is not limited tosimple linear or rotational functions, with some embodiments usingnon-Abelian transformations. It is contemplated that motion effects, forexample blur or deliberate edge distortion, may also be added to agenerated object overlay.

In some HR embodiments, images from cameras, whether sensitive to one ormore of visible, infra-red, or microwave spectra, may be processedbefore algorithms are executed. Algorithms used after image processingfor embodiments disclosed herein may include, but are not limited to,object recognition, motion detection, camera motion and zoom detection,light detection, facial recognition, text recognition, or mapping anunknown environment. The image processing may also use conventionalfiltering techniques, such as, but not limited to, static, adaptive,linear, non-linear, and Kalman filters. Deep-learning neural networksmay be trained in some embodiments to mimic functions which are hard tocreate algorithmically. Image processing may also be used to prepare theimage, for example by reducing noise, restoring the image, edgeenhancement, or smoothing.

In some HR embodiments, objects may be detected in the FOV of one ormore cameras. Objects may be detected by using conventional algorithms,such as, but not limited to, edge detection, feature detection (forexample surface patches, corners and edges), greyscale matching,gradient matching, pose consistency, or database look-up using geometrichashing. Genetic algorithms and trained neural networks usingunsupervised learning techniques may also be used in embodiments todetect types of objects, for example people, dogs, or trees.

In embodiments of an HR system, object may be performed on a singleframe of a video stream, although techniques using multiple frames arealso envisioned. Advanced techniques, such as, but not limited to,Optical Flow, camera motion, and object motion detection may be usedbetween frames to enhance object recognition in each frame.

After object recognition, rendering the object may be done by the HRsystem embodiment using databases of similar objects, the geometry ofthe detected object, or how the object is lit, for example specularreflections or bumps.

In some embodiments of an HR system, the locations of objects may begenerated from maps and object recognition from sensor data. Mappingdata may be generated on the fly using conventional techniques, forexample the Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) algorithm used toestimate locations using Bayesian methods, or extended Kalman filteringwhich linearizes a non-linear Kalman filter to optimally estimate themean or covariance of a state (map), or particle filters which use MonteCarlo methods to estimate hidden states (map). The locations of objectsmay also be determined a priori, using techniques such as, but notlimited to, reading blueprints, reading maps, receiving GPS locations,receiving relative positions to a known point (such as a cell tower,access point, or other person) determined using depth sensors, WiFitime-of-flight, or triangulation to at least three other points.

Gyroscope sensors on or near the HMD may be used in some embodiments todetermine head position and to generate relative motion vectors whichcan be used to estimate location.

In embodiments of an HR system, sound data from one or microphones maybe processed to detect specific sounds. Sounds that might be identifiedinclude, but are not limited to, human voices, glass breaking, humanscreams, gunshots, explosions, door slams, or a sound pattern aparticular machine makes when defective. Gaussian Mixture Models andHidden Markov Models may be used to generate statistical classifiersthat are combined and looked up in a database of sound models. Oneadvantage of using statistical classifiers is that sounds can bedetected more consistently in noisy environments.

In some embodiments of an HR system, eye tracking of one or bothviewer's eyes may be performed. Eye tracking may be used to measure thepoint of the viewer's gaze. In an HMD, the position of each eye isknown, and so there is a reference frame for determining head-to-eyeangles, and so the position and rotation of each eye can be used toestimate the gaze point. Eye position determination may be done usingany suitable technique and/or device, including, but not limited to,devices attached to an eye, tracking the eye position using infra-redreflections, for example Purkinje images, or using the electricpotential of the eye detected by electrodes placed near the eye whichuses the electrical field generated by an eye independently of whetherthe eye is closed or not.

In some HR embodiments, input is used to control the HR system, eitherfrom the user of the HR system or from external actors. The methods ofinput used varies by embodiment, and each input type may control any ora subset of an HR system's function. For example, in some embodimentsgestures are used as control input. A gesture may be detected by usingother systems coupled to the HR system, such as, but not limited to, acamera, a stereo camera, a depth camera, a wired glove, or a controller.In some embodiments using a camera for gesture detection, the videostream is analyzed to detect the position and movement of an object, forexample a hand, a finger, or a body pose. The position and motion can beused to generate a 3D or 2D path and, by using stochastic or patternmatching techniques, determine the most likely gesture used.

In another example embodiment, the user's head position and movement maybe used as a gesture or direct control. The head position and movementmay be determined by gyroscopes mounted into an HMD. In another example,a fixed source such as an electromagnetic beam may be affixed to a useror mounted in an HMD; coupled sensors can then track the electromagneticbeam as the user's head is moved.

In yet other example embodiments, the user may have a touch-pad or aplurality of touch sensors affixed to the body, for example built-in toa glove, a suit, or an HMD, coupled to the HR system. By touching aspecific point, different input data can be generated. Note that thetime of a touch or the pattern of touches may also generate differentinput types. In some technologies, touchless sensors using a proximityto the sensor can be used.

In some embodiments a physical input device is coupled to the HR system.The physical input device may be a mouse, a pen, a keyboard, or a wand.If a wand controller is used, the HR system tracks the position andlocation of the wand as well as presses of any buttons on the wand; thewand may be tracked using a camera, for example using object boundaryrecognition, using marker tracking where a specific shape or marker isdetected in each video frame, or by wired/wireless data from the wandreceived by the HR system. In other example embodiments, a physicalinput device may be virtual, where a device is rendered on thehead-mounted display and the user interacts with the virtual controllerusing other HR systems, such as, but not limited to, gaze direction,hand tracking, finger tracking, or gesture detection. In embodimentswhich use gaze direction as input, interaction with virtual menusrendered on the display may be used.

Further, in another example embodiment, a backwards-facing cameramounted in an HMD may be used to detect blinking or facial musclemovement. By tracking blink patterns or facial muscle motion, inputgestures can be determined.

In some embodiments, breathing patterns may be detected using a pressuresensor mounted in a breathing system coupled to the HR system to detectchanges in pressure. Breath patterns such as, but not limited to,blowing softly, exhaling hard, or inhaling suddenly may be used as inputdata for an HR control system.

In yet other example embodiments, sounds may be detected by one or moremicrophones coupled to the HR system. Specific sounds, such as, butlimited to, vocalizations (e.g. scream, shout, lip buzz, snort,whistle), stamping, or clapping, may detected using stochastic orpattern matching techniques on received audio data. In some embodiments,more than one microphone may be used to place a sound in a location,allowing the position of a sound, for example a clap, to provideadditional input control data. In some embodiments, voice control usingnatural language is used; speech recognition techniques such as trainedneural networks or hidden Markov model algorithms are used by an HRsystem to determine what has been said.

It is anticipated that direct neural interfaces may be used in someembodiments to control an HR system.

Any input to the HR system may be used for any purpose, depending on theembodiment. For example, sounds, eye movement and/or direction,gestures, touch inputs, other physical human input devices (e.g. akeyboard, mouse, or the like), may be used for controlling the HRsystem, including but not limited to controlling the size, direction,color, or other expressions of video images of virtual objects displayedin the display screen, switching on and off state of the HR system,changing the user interface and settings of the display screen,switching running applications, or selection/deselection of targetobjects to be virtualized.

Turning now to the current disclosure, systems that display HR imageryare becoming increasingly common and are making their way fromentertainment and gaming into industrial and commercial applications.Examples of systems that may find HR imagery useful include aiding aperson doing a task, for example repairing machinery, testing a system,or responding to an emergency.

Many of the same environments where HR imagery might be used alsoprovide information to a user. This information may be associated withreal objects in the environment or may be related to the environment asa whole, for example an ambient or average value. In other cases, theinformation to be provided to the user is unrelated to the realenvironment they are working in. Providing the various types ofinformation to the user in a way that can be readily understood by theuser and is not confusing, distracting or obscuring details that theuser needs can be a challenge.

In an HR system which aids a person doing a task, for example repairingmachinery, testing a system, performing routine maintenance, orresponding to an emergency, there may be areas of the environment thatcannot be seen because of a visual impairment such as a wall, an opaquecover, lack of light, or smoke.

The X-ray window is an artificial object created as an overlay on thescreen used to show objects and information in the environment thatcannot be seen or are obscured. The X-ray window, as the term is usedherein, does not necessarily have anything to do with electromagneticradiation in the X-ray spectrum, but simply refers to a virtual objectdisplayed for the user which shows a representation of one or moreobjects that would otherwise be hidden from the view of the user. TheX-ray window may cover the whole field-of-view, enhance only a portionof the field-of-view, or may be added to an object that is beingdisplayed in a separate window on the display.

The X-ray window shows details of, and information related to, occludedor obscured objects. The details may be rendered schematically orphoto-realistically, but the displayed representation adds details thatwould otherwise be obscured, for example internal components of acovered machine or a floor collapse just beyond the field-of-view or theposition of personnel behind an opaque barrier. A visible object may beidentified by user input, object recognition by a camera or othersensor, self-identification through an electronic message such as anRFID tag response or a computer network message, or any other way ofidentifying the object. The identity may include a model designation, aserial number, an address, or any other information that can be used toclearly identify objects hidden by the object, such as internalstructure or nearby objects. The visible object may not be identified inall cases, but simply may be treated as an unidentified object occludingthe view of hidden structure and details known to the HR system.

In some embodiments, the information used to render hidden structure anddetail as part of the X-ray window may be obtained from schematics orblueprints, for example the internal schematics of an engine or theposition of air ducts, wiring, or plumbing in a building. Additionally,in some example embodiments, the information used to render the hiddenstructure and detail as part of the X-ray window may be obtained byusing object recognition and data from one or more sensors in thecurrent environment, such as, but not limited to, building securitycameras, sensors or cameras attached to other personnel, sensors orcameras attached to autonomous or semi-autonomous drones, or roboticextensions which may place sensors or cameras into spaces obscured by abarrier. Data from sensors may be received in real-time or nearreal-time (which are considered to be equivalent for the purposes ofthis disclosure, including the claims), or may be received in a delayedfashion. In some embodiments, the data from the sensors may be receivedin packets that may be buffered during transmission, so the delay in thedata from the sensors may be non-uniform. Additionally, in someembodiments, the information used to render the hidden structure anddetail as part of the X-ray window may be obtained from historical data,for example maps from a previous scouting mission or from video streamsavailable before smoke obscured the view. Note that the hidden structureand detail may be computed or rendered locally or directly transmittedto a head-mounted display after being generated or rendered using remotecomputing resources.

In some embodiments, the hidden or obscured details may be presented asa window into a real-world object. The X-ray window may be consideredfixed to the object in that the details are rendered at the correctperspective if there is movement. In some embodiments, the X-ray windowmay be fixed to the HMD user's perspective, so the X-ray window movesacross the object if there is motion, in effect allowing internaldetails to be scanned. The shape and size of the X-ray window, orviewport, may be rendered in any manner, such as, but not limited to,the whole object, a rectilinear shape, an object cut-away, or an organicshape. The apparent position in 3D space of the X-ray window may betouching the object, on the object or away from the object, for examplethe window may be presented as a view-port on the surface of the objector presented as a window in a plane near the object. In someembodiments, the X-ray window may be rendered as a window that can bemoved in a path that changes the distance to the object; as the windowis moved, a magnification factor is applied to the internal details inthe window.

In some embodiments, relative motion, as described herein, may be usedto update the rendering of an X-ray view. For example, when a user of anHR system observes a real-world scene, relative motion may update theperspective of the rendered detail so appearing fixed in real-worldspace. In some embodiments, relative rotation and/or linear movement maybe used as input commands to manipulate the X-ray view, for examplerotating, looking behind or enlarging specific details. In one exampleembodiment, a “snap-shot” of the X-ray rendering may be taken to allowthe user to “pull” the snapshot into a real-world space and so movearound the snapshot to observe extra details hidden by the limitedperspective of being inside or behind a physical barrier. Note that thesnap-shot may also be rotated or magnified using other input commands tothe HR system. After viewing the snapshot, it may be removed on usercommand—the previous X-ray view may return or finish at that time.

In example embodiments, the X-ray view may render detail that representshidden real-world data; note that the rendering may be photo-realistic,a non-realistic representation such as a schematic rendering such awire-model or an avatar, a two-dimensional representation of theoccluded object generated from a fixed perspective, or any other type ofrepresentation of the hidden real-world data or object. In someembodiments, the real-world detail rendered by the X-ray view may alsobe enhanced by the addition of virtual objects, such as, but not limitedto, alerts, timers, pop-up data, associated haptic stimuli, associatedsounds such as pre-recorded audio clips, or directions for the user. Thevirtual objects may be controlled in any manner using input control asdescribed herein.

Further, in some embodiments the X-ray view may also support furtherX-ray views within hidden components. For example, a machine with anopaque cover may have an internal cylinder showing points of electricalconnections. The X-ray view may also allow the cylinder to support anX-ray view, where the location of internal sub-components can be shown.It is anticipated that a hierarchy of X-ray views may be constructed,with the user covering and uncovering levels of hierarchy using inputcommands.

In some embodiments, the X-ray view may be generated using a live camerafeed, for example from cameras in the environment, cameras on a drone,or cameras on a robotic arm. Since the perspective correction of a livevideo stream may be too computationally complex in near real-time, onlysimple perspective changes may be possible.

In example embodiments, real-world objects that were previously visiblemay become hidden, for example inserting a hand, a tool, or a roboticextension into a hidden space through an access panel. The HR system maytrack the position of the inserted object and show it in correctperspective in an X-ray view. For example, the position of a gloved handmay be tracked by an HR system and the hand shown in an X-ray view sothat hidden objects can more easily be manipulated. The tracking of thehidden object can be done using any suitable mechanism, including, butnot limited to, location sensors on the object, geometric analysis ofthe position of a structure supporting the object, or external sensorsthat may be able to track the object.

In some embodiments, hidden objects in an X-ray view may move. The newposition may be calculated by the HR system and the rendering updated.For example, personnel behind a wall may move position as determined byattached GPS locators. In another example, a ball bearing may be pushedinto a race or a screw turned and the new position computed using simpleNewtonian mechanics. In yet another example, the new position of objectsmay be computed by using view changes of a camera attached to a drone ora robotic arm—changes in camera view may be deliberate, for exampleusing a motor to jitter the camera position.

In example embodiments, the X-ray view may be manipulated by an externalactor, such as, but not limited to, commanding personnel, an expertguide, or an AI system. In some embodiments, the details shown in anX-ray view may be changed as the user performs a task, such as, but notlimited to, highlighting the next object to be manipulated, addinginstructions to an object, or only rendering photo-realistic details inthe area to be addressed at that time.

FIG. 1 shows how one embodiment of the HR system displays an X-raywindow 110 added to a real-world field-of-view 102 in a head-mounteddisplay 105 including an opaque wall 150. The visible objects in thereal world, such as the opaque wall 150, may be rendered from a model,shown as a video from a camera, or passed through a transparent portionof the head-mounted display 105, depending on the embodiment. Shown inthe computer-generated X-ray window 110 are personnel 120, 122, 124rendered at the correct location and perspective to user 100 wearing thehead-mounted display 105. The X-ray window 110 may have any shape,including a rectangular shape, a shape of a regular polygon, a circle,an ellipse, an asymmetric shape, a continuous curve shape, an irregularpolygonal shape, or any other shape, depending on the embodiment. Insome embodiments, the X-ray window 110 may correspond to the shape ofthe real-world object 150. The X-ray window 110 may be positioned to actas a cut-away view of an occluded space behind the real-world object 150or may be a separate window, depending on the embodiment. Cameras in thespace behind wall 150 and/or personnel locators, for example relativepositions determined by infra-red depth sensors or absolute positionsfrom GPS, are used to determine the size and position of personnel 120,122, 124 in the hidden space. Note that the perspective of the occludedpersonnel 120, 122, 124 is computed as if wall 150 was not present. Theoccluded personnel 120, 122, 124 may be rendered in any manner, such as,but not limited to, avatars, photos of a face attached to an avatar, orphoto-realistically using 3-D models of the personnel, or by usingimages extracted from a camera feed. Any of the occluded personnel 120,122, 124 may be tagged, for example using names, such as shown by text“AL” 130. X-ray window 110 may be initiated by a trigger event caused byuser 100, occluded personnel 120, 122, 124, or a third party. Forexample, in some cases, one of occluded personnel 120, 122 and 124 maywant to show the user 100 the progress of their task, and may use theirwork terminal to send a notice to the user 100 and initiate the X-raywindow 110. Or in some embodiments, if the user 100 moves to within apredetermined threshold distance, such as 10 meters, of the wall 150,then X-ray window 110 may be automatically initiated. In someembodiments, the HR system may initiate additional functions and/or runother applications upon initiation of the X-ray window 110.

FIG. 2A shows an example embodiment of a HR system rendering an avatar210A in an X-ray view 200A. The position, size and orientation of avatar210A may be determined using cameras in the hidden space and/or locatorsattached to the person represented by avatar 210A, for example relativepositions determined by infra-red depth sensors or absolute positionsfrom GPS. X-ray view 200A also includes position error bars 220A shownas concentric circles the avatar 210A stands on. The position of theoutermost error bars 220A shows the worst-case placement of the avatar.

FIG. 2B shows an example embodiment of a HR system rendering an avatar210B in an X-ray view 200B at a different time than X-ray view 200A.Similar to the vignette shown in FIG. 2A, the position, size andorientation of avatar 210B may be determined using cameras in the hiddenspace and/or locators attached to the person represented by avatar 210B,for example relative positions determined by infra-red depth sensors orabsolute positions from GPS. Updated X-ray view 200B also includesposition error bars 220B shown as concentric circles the avatar 210Bstands on. The position of the outermost error bars 220B shows theworst-case placement of the avatar. Note that although avatar 220B iscloser to the user at the time of FIG. 2B than FIG. 2A, the positionuncertainty is greater than for FIG. 2A, as shown by the wider errorbars 220B. The position uncertainty may be larger because of smoke orother environmental factors, different accuracy of sensors in differentareas, an estimation rather than measurement of the position of avatar220B, or any other factor that can affect the accuracy of thedetermination of the position of avatar 200B.

One display metaphor, the concentric circles, is shown in FIG. 2A/B forindicating an uncertainty in the position. Other embodiments may useother mechanisms to indicate position uncertainty to the user,including, but not limited to, using fuzzy edges on the avatar, adding ahalo around the avatar, having different size platforms for an avatar,or by shaking the avatar edges by an amount in time on subsequent videoframes.

FIG. 3 shows how one embodiment of the HR system shows an X-ray window310 added to a real-world rendering of a machine 350 enclosed by anopaque cover on each side and shown on a display of the HR system.Included on machine 350 is a physical access panel 320 opened using knob324 on door 322. Within machine 350 are several hidden components,including cylinder 330, block 332, rod 334, rod 336, and gears 340, 342,344. The location of components cylinder 330, block 332, rod 334, rod336, and gears 340, 342, 344, may be obtained from schematics of machine350 transmitted to the HR system worn by user 300 after the machine 350is identified. Components cylinder 330, block 332, rod 334, rod 336, andgears 340, 342, 344 are within X-ray window 310 from the perspective ofuser 300 and so are rendered within the window 310. Note that the X-raywindow 310 does not include some portions of cylinder 330, rod 334, rod336, and gear 344. Those portions that are not in window 310 areoccluded by the cover of the machine 350 and are shown by dotted linegroups 331, 335, 337, 345 in FIG. 3 for clarity but are not be renderedby this embodiment of the HR system. Note that the correct positions andoccluding nature of components cylinder 330, block 332, rod 334, rod336, and gears 340, 342, 344 are rendered in window 310; for example,gear 340 occludes a portion of rods 334, 336 and block 332. Since theuser can “see” inside machine 350, the user can insert their hand 300into the access panel in direction of arrow 360 to manipulate themachine, for example oiling gears 340, 342, 344. This allows tasks to beperformed inside of the machine 350 safely and with confidence. X-raywindow 310 may be initiated by a trigger event, such as opening thephysical access panel 320. If the X-ray window 110 is initiatedautomatically through other actions, such as opening the physical accesspanel 320, the user can naturally, and without any additional action,view inside the machine 350 through X-ray window 110. In someembodiments, the HR system may initiate additional functions and/or runother applications upon initiation of the X-ray window 310.

In some embodiments, virtual objects may be attached to the renderedoccluded objects. The system may automatically attach a virtual object,and/or a user may determine which virtual object to attach to a renderedoccluded object. The virtual objects can be used for any purpose but caninclude tags to identify an occluded object, such as the GEAR1 tag 352attached to gear 340. The tags may provide information about theoccluded object such as a name of the object, a part number of anobject, procurement information for a replacement for the object,diagnostic procedures for the object, or any other type of informationrelated to the object.

In some embodiments, the virtual objects may be attached to monitor astatus of an occluded object, such as indicating that a sound made bythe gear 342 should be monitored by placing a virtual stethoscope 354 ongear 342 or that a temperature of cylinder 330 should be monitored byplacing a virtual thermometer 356 on cylinder 330. Data may be collecteddirectly from the occluded object, for example from sensors monitoringthe occluded object, or from an external source. Some or all of the datamay be used to generate the information provided by the virtual objecton the HMD based on a type of virtual object selected and/or a placementof the virtual object, such as showing a digital read-out of thetemperature of the occluded object next to the virtual thermometer 356at the location of the virtual thermometer 356, changing a fill amount,a shape or a color of the virtual object, or playing the sound made bygear 342 on an audio output device heard by the user. In someembodiments the data may be logged and stored by the HR system and/orprovided to other users and/or software applications for analysis. X-raywindow 310 may be initiated by a trigger event, such as receivingsignals transmitted from sensors monitoring the occluded object or anexternal source. When receiving signals that indicate a certainparameter, such as temperature, humidity, noise, gas concentration,exceeds a predetermined threshold, the HR system may automatically,without any additional action by a user, initiate X-ray window 310.Also, when receiving such signals, the HR system may initiate a part ofits functions or start to run certain types of applications thereon.

FIG. 4A shows how one embodiment of the HR system shows an X-ray window420 added to a view 402 presented to a user 400 wearing a head-mounteddisplay (HMD) 405. The view 402 includes a real-world machine 410 and aview of the internal components 440 of the machine 410 presented as aseparate popup X-ray window 420. In popup window 420, the real-worldmachine 410 is shown as rendered machine 430; note that the renderedmachine 430 may or may not track the position of real-world machine 410if there is relative motion. In popup window 420, internal components440 are rendered within machine 430 with respect to the perspective ofmachine 430. The presence, the relative location and size of internalcomponents 440 may be obtained from schematics of machine 410transmitted to the HR system worn by user 400 based, for example, onidentification of the machine 410 or the location of machine 410. Sinceinternal components 440 of machine 410 are shown, representation ofmachine 430 may be a simple wire-frame model in at least someembodiments. X-ray window 420 may be initiated and/or controlled by atrigger event. For example, in some cases, the HMD 405 may contain asensor to detect a gesture by user, such as ToF (Time of Flight) sensorwhich detects motion of user 400. By detecting the motion of user 400,such as hand movement, X-ray window 420 may be initiated. For example,if a user 400 claps their hands, X-ray window 420 may be initiated.Also, in some cases, a user 400 may wear a glove or ring to detect handmovement. By detecting hand movement of the user 400, X-ray window 420may be controlled in some embodiments.

FIG. 4B shows the scene of FIG. 4A with an embodiment of a hierarchicaldisplay of internal details of a machine in separate X-ray windows. Theinternal components 440 of the machine 410 are shown in X-ray window 420inside of rendered machine 430. The internal components 440 include theblock 442 and the pipe 444. The user has created a virtual window 477 onthe view of block 442 which created a second pop-up X-ray window 470showing the internal components 444, 478 of block 442 which would bevisible through virtual window 477. Any number of levels of hierarchymay be created in embodiments to allow occluded components to be shownno matter how many layers of structure may interfere with theirvisibility.

FIG. 5 shows how one embodiment of the HR system shows an X-ray window520 added to a real-world rendered field-of-view 510 shown a display ofthe HR system. In field of view 510, there is a wall 530, hazard 540 andparticulate matter 550 obscuring objects in the field-of-view 510, forexample smoke or water droplets. The positions of the wall 530 obscuredby particulate matter 550 are shown by dotted lines 535. The positionsof the hazard 540 obscured by particulate matter 550 are shown by shadedarea 545. Depending on environmental factors and the density of theparticulate matter 550, the portions of the wall 530 and hazard 540 maybe only partially visible or may not be visible in the field of view510. Within the X-ray window 520, wall portions 530 and hazard portions540 are shown clearly rendered by the HR system to user 500, with allother details in the field of view 510 obscured by particulate matter550. The position and size of wall 530 and hazard 540 may be estimatedfrom maps obtained from data provided before the particulate matter 550was present. In other example embodiments, the position of wall 530 maybe obtained from building blueprints or from personnel present at anearlier time. In other example embodiments, the position of hazard 540may be obtained from other sensors, for example IR cameras, or fromother personnel, for example people behind the wall 530 or on the floorbelow who have an unobscured view. X-ray window 520 may be initiatedand/or controlled by a trigger event. For example, in some cases, whenhazardous situation 540 is detected in the obscured area, the X-raywindow 520 may be automatically initiated. The hazardous situation, suchas fire, high temperature, air pollution, gas leak, or dangerous liquidleak, may be detected by a sensor located in occluded area.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an HR system 600 which mayhave some components implemented as part of a head-mounted assembly(HMD). The HR system 600 may be considered a computer system that can beadapted to be worn on the head, carried by hand, or otherwise attachedto a user. In the embodiment of the HR system 600 shown, a structure 605is included which is adapted to be worn on the head of a user. Thestructure 605 may include straps, a helmet, a hat, or any other type ofmechanism to hold the HR system on the head of the user as a HMD.

The HR system 600 also includes a display 650 positioned in afield-of-view (FOV) of the user. The structure 605 may position thedisplay 650 in the field of view of the user. In some embodiments, thedisplay 650 may be a stereoscopic display with two separate views of theFOV, such as view 652 for the user's left eye, and view 654 for theuser's right eye. The two views 652, 654 may be shown as two images on asingle display device or may be shown using separate display devicesthat are included in the display 650. In some embodiments, the display650 may be transparent, such as in an augmented reality (AR) HMD. Insystems where the display 650 is transparent, the view of the FOV of thereal-world as seen through the display 650 by the user is compositedwith virtual objects that are shown on the display 650. The virtualobjects may occlude real objects in the FOV as overlay elements and maythemselves be transparent or opaque, depending on the technology usedfor the display 650 and the rendering of the virtual object. A virtualobject, such as an overlay element, may be positioned in a virtualspace, which could be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, depending onthe embodiment, to be in the same position as an associated real objectin real space. Note that if the display 650 is a stereoscopic display,two different views of the overlay element may be rendered and shown intwo different relative positions on the two views 652, 654, depending onthe disparity as defined by the inter-ocular distance of a viewer.

In some embodiments, the HR system 600 includes one or more sensors in asensing block 640 to sense at least a portion of the FOV of the user bygathering the appropriate information for that sensor, for examplevisible light from a visible light camera, from the FOV of the user. Anynumber of any type of sensor, including sensors described previouslyherein, may be included in the sensor block 640, depending on theembodiment. In some embodiments, sensor(s) in the sensing block 640 maybe configured to detect a motion of the user. The motion of a hand,finger, head, eye, arm, leg, body, and/or any other body part of theuser or object held or moved by the user may be detected by thesensor(s) in the sensing block 640. The processor 610 may then use thegeometry, appearance, gesture and/or location of the movement toinstantiate and/or control an X-ray window presented on the display 650.

The HR system 600 may also include an I/O block 620 to allowcommunication with external devices. The I/O block 620 may include oneor both of a wireless network adapter 622 coupled to an antenna 624 anda network adapter 626 coupled to a wired connection 628. The wiredconnection 628 may be plugged into a portable device, for example amobile phone, or may be a component of an umbilical system such as usedin extreme environments.

In some embodiments, the HR system 600 includes a sound processor 660which takes input from one or microphones 662. In some HR systems 600,the microphones 662 may be attached to the user. External microphones,for example attached to an autonomous drone, may send sound data samplesthrough wireless or wired connections to I/O block 620 instead of, or inaddition to, the sound data received from the microphones 662. The soundprocessor 660 may generate sound data which is transferred to one ormore speakers 664, which are a type of sound reproduction device. Thegenerated sound data may be analog samples or digital values. If morethan one speaker 664 is used, the sound processor may generate orsimulate 2D or 3D sound placement. In some HR systems 600, a firstspeaker may be positioned to provide sound to the left ear of the userand a second speaker may be positioned to provide sound to the right earof the user. Together, the first speaker and the second speaker mayprovide binaural sound to the user.

In some embodiments, the HR system 600 includes a stimulus block 670.The stimulus block 670 is used to provide other stimuli to expand the HRsystem user experience. Embodiments may include numerous haptic padsattached to the user that provide a touch stimulus. Embodiments may alsoinclude other stimuli, such as, but not limited to, changing thetemperature of a glove, changing the moisture level or breathability ofa suit, or adding smells to a breathing system.

The HR system 600 may include a processor 610 and one or more memorydevices 630, which may also be referred to as a tangible medium or acomputer readable medium. The processor 610 is coupled to the display650, the sensing block 640, the memory 630, I/O block 620, sound block660, and stimulus block 670, and is configured to execute theinstructions 632 encoded on (i.e. stored in) the memory 630. Thus, theHR system 600 may include an article of manufacture comprising atangible medium 630, that is not a transitory propagating signal,encoding computer-readable instructions 632 that, when applied to acomputer system 600, instruct the computer system 600 to perform one ormore methods described herein, thereby configuring the processor 610.

While the processor 610 included in the HR system 600 may be able toperform methods described herein autonomously, in some embodiments,processing facilities outside of that provided by the processor 610included inside of the HR system 600 may be used to perform one or moreelements of methods described herein. In one non-limiting example, theprocessor 610 may receive information from one or more of the sensors640 and send that information through the wireless network adapter 622to an external processor, such as a cloud processing system or anexternal server. The external processor may then process the sensorinformation to identify an object in the FOV and send information aboutthe object, such as its shape and location in the FOV and/or informationabout the internal structure of the object, to the processor 610 throughthe wireless network adapter 622. The processor 610 may then use thegeometry, appearance and location of the object in the FOV as well asthe internal structure of the object, to render an X-ray view of theobject as an overlay element and show the overlay element on the display650.

In some embodiments, the instructions 632 may instruct the HR system 600to detect one or more objects in a field-of-view (FOV) using at leastone sensor 640 coupled to the computer system 600. The instructions 632may further instruct the HR system 600 to determine the world positionof the one or more objects using at least one sensor 640. Theinstructions 632 may instruct the HR system 600 to use object detectionto determine if one of the objects is a hand and so determine the pathof the hand over time using time-based samples from the at least onesensor 640. The instructions 632 may further instruct the HR system 600to match the path of the hand to known path shapes using stochasticmethods to determine a gesture. If a gesture is recognized, theinstructions 632 may instruct HR system 600 to generate an input eventof a specific type.

In some embodiments, the instructions 632 may instruct the HR system 600to detect one or more objects in a field-of-view (FOV) using at leastone sensor 640 coupled to the computer system 600. The instructions 632may further instruct the HR system 600 to determine the world positionof the one or more objects using at least one sensor 640. Theinstructions 632 may instruct the HR system 600 to create an X-raywindow on one or more of the objects and establish a view position forthe X-ray window on an object. The instructions 632 may further instructthe HR system 600 to receive data associated with one or more at leastpartially occluded objects at the view position. Finally, theinstructions 632 may further instruct the HR system 600 to render theone or more partially occluded objects in the created X-ray window.

FIG. 7A shows a single X-ray window 710A rendered on a real-worldmachine presented on an embodiment of an HR system in view 701A. Thereal-world machine 700 is completely enclosed by opaque covers 702, 704,706. On the display of an example HR system, a rectilinear X-ray window710A is rendered to reveal internal components 720, such as gears 722,724, 726, cylinder 728, blocks 730, 732, and rods 734, 736, 738. Notethat internal components 720 are presented in the correct position andperspective; for example, block 730 is partially occluded by gear 724and only part of gear 726 can be seen in window 710A. In someembodiments, the X-ray window 710A may be initiated and/or controlled bya trigger event, such as a hand gesture by the user using their righthand 752 and left hand 754. The hands 752, 754 may be visible in theview 701A. As one non-limiting example gesture, the user may use theirhands 753, 754 to create a rectangular shape. In response to such agesture, the HR system may initiate the X-ray window 710A. The locationof X-ray window 710A may be determined based on the relative location ofthe hands 752, 754 and the machine 700 in the view 701A. In analternative embodiment, the location of the X-ray window 710B may becontrolled by the relative location of hands 752, 753 to a sensor of theHR system. FIG. 7B shows the machine 700 of FIG. 7A presented on anembodiment of a head-mounted display with a rendered X-ray window 710Bfrom a different user perspective in view 701B. Similar to the vignettein FIG. 7A, the added X-ray window 710B is maintained as userperspective is changed. Note that in the example embodiment, the X-raywindow 710B remains perpendicular to the user's eye-line which may bedetermined by the position of an HMD worn by the user. In otherembodiments, the X-ray window 710A may remain in a fixed position withrespect to the real-world machine 700 (e.g. appearing as anchored to alocation on the real-world machine 700), acting as a view-port into themachine 700, with the determination of which internal components 720 arevisible dependent upon the relative positions of the user and the X-raywindow 710A. The change in position of X-ray window 710B from theposition of FIG. 7A renders the internal components 720 of machine 700from the new user perspective and location. Note that in someembodiments, the change in position of X-ray window 710B may be madeusing specific commands to the HR system, thus not requiring the user ofthe HR system to move, although the user perspective may change due tomovement by the user, various gestures, or other command to the HRsystem.

FIG. 8A shows a single X-ray window 820A rendered on an embodiment of ahead-mounted display (HMD) in an apparent position between a user and areal-world object. In the real-world, there is a user 800 and a machine810 which is completely enclosed by opaque covers. On the display of theHMD worn by user 800, a view 802A includes an example X-ray window 820Awhich has been rendered between the user 800 and machine 810. In theexample embodiment, the X-ray window 820A is opaque and may occlude orpartially occlude real-world objects. In other example embodiments, theX-ray window may be transparent with only some real-world objectspartially occluded. In X-ray window 820A, the HR system that includesthe HMD renders a representation 812A of machine 810 at a specificmagnification determined by the HR system. Additionally, X-ray window820A renders a sub X-ray window 830A, which reveals internal components840A. Note that internal components 840A are rendered at the correctperspective and location with respect to representation 812A and at thesame magnification.

FIG. 8B shows a single X-ray window 820B rendered on an embodiment of ahead-mounted display in an apparent position between a user 800 and areal-world object 810 with magnification. Similar to the vignette inFIG. 8A, X-ray window 820B is rendered as an opaque window between user800 and real-world machine 810 in a view 802B shown on the HMD. At thetime of FIG. 8B, the X-ray window 820B is in an apparent position closerto machine 810 compared to the time of FIG. 8A. The position of theX-ray window 820B may be manipulated by the user 800 using handgestures, eye gestures, voice commands, human input devices coupled tothe HR system such as a keyboard, traditional mouse, or 3D input device,or any other type of input to the HR system. Note that X-ray window 820Bpartially occludes machine 810 at the new position. In the exampleembodiment, the HR system computes a new magnification factor based onthe new position of X-ray window 820B. In X-ray window 820B, the HRsystem renders a representation 812B of machine 810 at the newmagnification determined by the HR system. Additionally, X-ray window820B renders a sub X-ray window 830B, which reveals internal components840B. Note that internal components 840B are rendered at the correctperspective and location with respect to representation 812B and at thesame magnification.

FIG. 8C shows an X-ray window 820C rendered in view 802C on anembodiment of a head-mounted display of an HR system. The X-ray window820C shows internal structure 840C of the real-world machine 810 behindthe virtual window 830C. The user 800 may provide input to the HR systemto change the size and position of the virtual window 830C to showdifferent views and/or magnifications of the internal structure. Theportion of the internal structure of the machine 810 occluded by thevirtual window 830C is then rendered into the X-ray window 820C withproper magnification, and perspective. In some embodiments, the size andposition of the X-ray window 820C may also be changed by the user 800independently from the size and position of the virtual window 830C.

FIG. 8D shows an X-ray window 820D rendered in view 802D on anembodiment of a head-mounted display of an HR system. The user haschanged the size and position of the virtual window 830D to be smallerand to include only a center portion of the virtual window 830C shown inFIG. 8C. The X-ray window 820D is in the same position and has the samesize as the X-ray window 820C of FIG. 8C, so it shows a magnified viewof the internal structure 840D of the real-world machine 810 that isoccluded by virtual window 830D. Note that in some embodiments, theamount of magnification may be altered by either changing the size orposition of the virtual window 830D, or by issuing input commandsspecific to the X-ray window 820D.

FIG. 9A shows a snapshot of the internals 942, 944 of a machine 910presented in a view 902A on an embodiment of a head-mounted displayrendered as if in free space. At the time of FIG. 9A, the example HRsystem has taken a first “snapshot” 940A of internal components 942, 944of machine 910. Prior to the time of FIG. 9A, the HR system had renderedan X-ray window 920 on machine 910 on the HMD of user 900. Duringrendering of X-ray window 920, internal components 942, 944 wererendered in the correct perspective and at the geometrically correctlocation with respect to machine 910. When the first snapshot 940A iscreated by the HR system, component 942 is rendered in free space asrepresentation 942A in the same orientation as representation 942.Similarly, component 944 is rendered in free space as representation944A in the same orientation as representation 944. Once the snapshothas been captured, the X-ray window 920 may be removed from view 902A orretained, depending on user preferences and/or commands supported by theembodiment. Note that the magnification factor and apparent position ofsnapshot 940A may take any initial value as determined by the HR systemembodiment. Note further that the snapshot in some embodiments willmaintain the correct relative positions between representations 942A and944A at the determined perspective and magnification.

FIG. 9B shows a snapshot of the internals 942, 944 of a machine 910presented in a view 902B on an embodiment of a head-mounted displayrendered as if in free space with a rotation applied. Similar to thevignette in FIG. 9A, a snapshot 940B is rendered on the HMD embodimentworn by user 900. FIG. 9B is at an instant of time after the initialcreation of FIG. 9A, and the user has rotated the snapshot in thedirection of arrow 950. The rotation may be due to user 900 movingaround a static snapshot 940B, user 900 issuing commands to the HRsystem, or any other suitable mechanism. Note that the orientation ofrepresentations 942B, 944B in snapshot 940B is rendered at the newperspective and position maintaining the relative positions ofrepresentations 942B, 944B. In some embodiments, the snapshot may beviewed at different positions using translational and rotational user900 movement and/or commands issued to the HR system. It is alsocontemplated that the snapshot may be manipulated using otherinteractions that aid the user 900 in obtaining information aboutinternal components 942, 944 of machine 910, such as, but not limitedto, snapshot magnification, pulling apart snapshot components, hidingone or more snapshot components, or changing the appearance (e.g. color,transparency, wire-frame) of one or more snapshot components.

FIG. 10 shows a scene presented to a user wearing an embodiment of ahead-mounted display showing internal details of a machine 1050 and ahand 1070 inserted into an access panel 1020. The scene of FIG. 10 showsan X-ray window 1010 added to a view of a real-world machine 1050enclosed by an opaque cover 1052, 1054, 1056 on each side. Included onmachine 1050 is an access panel 1020 opened using knob 1024 on door1022. Within machine 1050 are several hidden components, includingcylinder 1030, block 1032, rods 1034, 1036, and gears 1040, 1042. Thelocation of components cylinder 1030, block 1032, rods 1034, 1036, andgears 1040, 1042, may be obtained from schematics of machine 1050transmitted to the HR system based on, for example, an identification orlocation of machine 1050. At least portions of components cylinder 1030,block 1032, rods 1034, 1036, and gears 1040, 1042 are within X-raywindow 1010 and so are rendered within the window 1010. Note that thewindow 1010 occludes some portions of cylinder 1030, rod 1034, rod 1036,and gear 1042, and that the relative positions of components cylinder1030, block 1032, rods 1034, 1036, and gears 1040, 1042 is shown by, forexample, block 1032 being occluded by gear 1040.

At the time of FIG. 10, the user 1060 is manipulating internalcomponents by inserting hand 1068 wearing glove 1070 into the openaccess panel 1020. A portion of user's arm 1066 is visible because it isoutside machine 1050, but the rest of the user's arm, including hand1068, is occluded by cover 1052. In the rendering of the example HRembodiment, a portion of the arm, i.e. hand 1068, is shown within X-raywindow 1010. Note that a portion of the arm, indicated by dotted lines1062, 1064 may not be rendered on the HMD. The rendered representationof hand 1068 may be photo-realistic, use an avatar, or any otherrepresentation to indicate a hand to a user. The position of hand 1068may be received from data provided by sensors in glove 1070, for examplegyroscopes. In other example embodiments, the position of hand 1068 maybe received from a device being held by hand 1068, for example a roboticextension, a tool, or a controller. In yet other example embodiments,the position of the hand may be determined using computation, such as,but not limited to, body position physics as the arm is moved, aninternal camera in the machine, using data from external sensors thatmay partially penetrate a cover, or computed from the visible portion ofthe arm and known body dimensions.

In some embodiments, the glove 1070 may be used to control the HRsystem. Glove 1070 may incorporate sensors, such as, but not limited to,a gyroscope and accelerometer for detecting and tracking the positionand movement of a hand, a finger, or a body pose. As a non-limitingexample, the user may raise her right hand encased in the glove 1070 andthe HR system may receive signals representing the gesture from theglove 1070. The HR system may then interpret the gesture to representone or more commands, such as, but not limited to, changing a size of avideo image, changing the size of images of virtual objects, and thenexecute those commands. In yet another embodiment, a wave of the hand inthe glove 1070 may be interpreted to represent a command to rotate ormove a virtual object. In some embodiments, a movement of the glove 1070may be used for changing an on/off state of the HR system.

Note that occluded objects viewed in an X-ray window may be rendered inother ways than those explicitly described herein without departing fromthe concepts disclosed. Whether to display all, some, or none of anoccluded object may be done in any manner, including, but not limitedto, a position and size of virtual window or X-ray window, a userpreference, a context (e.g. a task at hand), or an explicit usercommand. The X-ray window showing the occluded objects may be separatefrom, or aligned with, a virtual window used to select the occludedobjects and the size and position of the X-window may be controlledtogether with, or separately from, a virtual window. The X-ray windowmay show only occluded objects, or may show a combination of visible andoccluded objects, depending on the embodiment. A magnification of theoccluded objects shown in the X-ray window may be determined in anymanner, including, but not limited to, a virtual position of the X-raywindow, a size of a virtual window, a size of the X-ray window, or aseparate magnification input provided to the HR system by the user orsome other entity. A border of the X-ray window may or might not beshown, depending on the embodiment. The rendering of the occludedobjects in the X-ray window may be opaque or partially transparent, anda background area of the X-ray window may be completely transparent,partially transparent, or opaque depending on the embodiment.

Aspects of various embodiments are described with reference to flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus, systems, andcomputer program products according to various embodiments disclosedherein. It will be understood that various blocks of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed onthe computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and/or block diagrams in the figures help to illustratethe architecture, functionality, and operation of possibleimplementations of systems, methods and computer program products ofvarious embodiments. In this regard, each block in the flowchart orblock diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code,which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing thespecified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in somealternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occurout of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown insuccession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or theblocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending uponthe functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart 1100 of an embodiment of a method for creatinga magnifying X-ray window. The method starts 1101 by setting amagnification ‘m’ to an initial value, such as unity, and a position foran X-ray window is received 1102 from commands, for example a “createmagnifying window” command input to the HR system in some embodiments.The distance ‘d’ from the X-ray window apparent position in 3D space tothe real-world object with the X-ray view is determined 1103; in someembodiments is a default value and in some embodiments ‘d’ is computedfrom the position of the user at the time of creating the X-ray window,for example placing the window at some known ratio of the distancebetween the user and the real-world object with the X-ray view.

The flowchart 1100 continues by rendering 1104 the X-ray window atmagnification ‘m’ (in this case unity) at apparent distance ‘d’ in 3Dspace. The flowchart 1100 continues by receiving 1105 a new position forthe X-ray window, for example a “drag magnifying window” command inputto the HR system in some embodiments. The flowchart 1100 continues bydetermining 1106 a new distance ‘d’, for example using relative motionspecified by the user when applying a “drag magnifying window command”input to the HR system in some embodiments. A new magnification factor‘m’ is computed 1107 using the previous and current values of ‘d’. Insome embodiments, a fixed scaling factor may also be applied to keep themagnification ‘m’ within specific limits defined by the HR system.

The flowchart 1100 continues by rendering 1108 the X-ray window at newmagnification factor ‘m’ at current apparent distance ‘d’ in 3D space.The flowchart 1100 continues by determining whether a close windowinstruction has been received during stages 1105, 1106, 1107, 1108. Ifthe window is to be closed, the X-ray window stops 1110 rendering andreturns to start 1101. If the window remains active, the flowchart 1100loops to receiving 1105 an X-ray window position.

Note that any input command loop in flowchart 1100 is purely notional;an interrupt-driven handler or software event handler may be used insome embodiments to save power or simplify code creation.

FIG. 12 shows a flowchart 1200 of an embodiment of a method for creatinga 3D snapshot of an X-ray window. The method starts 1201 and a createsnapshot command is received 1202 as input to the HR system. In someembodiments, there must be an X-ray window active at the time the createsnapshot command is received, but in others a default X-ray window iscreated. The flowchart 1200 continues by determining 1203 a center ‘c’for the snapshot in real-world space. In some embodiments ‘c’ is adefault value and in some embodiments ‘c’ is computed from the positionof the user at the time of creating the snapshot, for example placingthe ‘c’ at some known ratio of the distance between the user and thereal-world object with the X-ray view. In yet another exampleembodiment, ‘c’ may be determined using locations of known real-worldobjects to place ‘c’ at a position of maximum clearance from real-worldobjects so the user can physically move around the virtual snapshot inthe real-world.

The flowchart 1200 continues by rendering 1204 the snapshot at apparentdistance ‘c’ in 3D space. The flowchart 1200 continues by receiving 1205a new position for user, for example a relative motion determined by theHR system in some embodiments. The flowchart 1200 continues bydetermining 1106 a new perspective to point ‘c’ for the user usingtriangulation. Depending on the perspective, the hidden surfaces ofcomponents in the snapshot are computed 1207, and the snapshot rendered1208 at the new perspective, making the snapshot appear fixed inreal-world space.

The flowchart 1200 continues by determining whether a close windowinstruction has been received during stages 1205, 1206, 1207, 1208. Ifthe window is to be closed, the X-ray window stops 1210 rendering andreturns to start 1201. If the window remains active, the flowchart 1200loops to receiving 1205 a new user position.

Note that any input command loop in flowchart 1200 is purely notional;an interrupt-driven handler or software event handler may be used insome embodiments to save power or simplify code creation.

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart 1300 of a first embodiment of a method forproviding information obscured to a user through a display of ahybrid-reality system (DHR). The DHR may be a head-mounted display(HMD). The method starts 1301 and a view position is established 1310relative to a real-world object. The view position establishes aposition of a viewer with respect to the real-world object and so sets afield of view for the viewer. The view position may be established inmany different ways, for example a user of the hybrid-reality system maymanually provide the view position. In at least one embodiment, the viewposition is received from an entity that is not the user of thehybrid-reality system. In other embodiments, the view position may beestablished based on a real-world position of the DHR and/or a user ofthe hybrid-reality system. As non-limiting examples, the view positionmay set to the real-world location of the DHR with a field of view basedon the orientation of the DHR, or the view position may be set at alocation between the DHR and the real-world object. The position may bedetermined using sensors in the DHR, such as a GPS receiver and/oraccelerometers, based on triangulation from other radio-frequencysources such as WiFi access points, cellular towers, dedicatedradio-frequency beacons, or any other location determination mechanism.In some embodiments, a field of view from the view position may bemapped to a full screen of the DHR.

In some embodiments the view position is established 1310 by capturing1312 an image of the field-of-view using a camera coupled to the HRsystem. Using object recognition, objects in the field of view aredetected 1314. The position of the detected objects is computed usingdepth information from a sensor coupled to the HR system. By using depthand object orientation, the objects can be located 1316 in 3D real-worldspace.

The flowchart 1300 continues by receiving 1320 data associated with anoccluded object that is at least partially occluded at the user'sviewpoint. The occluded object may be occluded by the real-world object.In some embodiments a characteristic of the real-world object isdetermined and the data associated with the occluded object is based onthe characteristic of the real-world object, and in at least oneembodiment the data associated with the occluded object includesinformation related to the real-world object. The characteristic of thereal-world object may, for example, be an image of the real-worldobject, an identity of the real-world object, a message received fromthe real-world object, or the location of the real-world object. As anon-limiting example, the data associated with the occluded object mayinclude a schematic, plan, blueprint, or map of the real-world object.In some embodiments, the received data associated with the occludedobject is based on data from one or more sensors. The sensors may beintegrated into the DHR, the hybrid-reality system, or be remote fromthe hybrid-reality system. The data from the sensors may be received inreal-time or near real-time in some cases. The received data associatedwith the occluded object may have been established at an earlier time,such as data collected during a visit at an earlier time to an area nearthe occluded object by one or more people using hybrid-reality systemswith integrated sensors.

In some embodiments the occluded object data is received 1320 byrequesting 1322 data within a vicinity of the view position. The HRsystem generates 1324 a list of objects in the vicinity, and computes1326 an intersection of the list within the desired field-of-view at theview position to generate an occlude list. Data is received byde-referencing 1328 the objects on the occlude list, for exampleindexing a database.

The flowchart 1300 continues by rendering 1330 an image of at least aportion of the occluded object on the DHR. The image of at least theportion of the occluded object may be rendered at any level of detail orwith any perspective or viewing parameters depending on the embodiment.Image rendering and/or viewing parameters may be received from the useror from an entity that is not the user and the parameters may be storedwithin the hybrid-reality system. In some embodiments, the image isrendered with a perspective based on a user position with respect to thereal-world object or with a perspective based on parameters storedwithin the hybrid-reality system.

The method may also include establishing a window into the object toshow the image, although some embodiments may simply show any occludedobject visible in the field of view from the view position. The windowmay have any shape and may have an asymmetric shape in some embodiments.The image may be clipped to the window in some embodiments. The windowmay also be referred to as an X-ray window, a view-port, or a virtualwindow. The flowchart 1300 then returns to the start 1301.

In some embodiments the window may be positioned to at least partiallyocclude the real-world object and the image rendered in a position inthe window corresponding to a real-world position of the occludedobject. This may present the appearance of an opening in the surface ofthe real-world object which allows the user to see inside of, or behind,the real-world object, so creating a view of a space occluded behind asurface of the real-world object. In some embodiments, the window may bepositioned to fully occlude the real-world object, for example with ashape of the window corresponding to a shape of the real-world object.This may create an appearance of making the entirety of any occludedobjects hidden by the real-world object visible. In other embodiments,the window may be positioned independently from a real-world position ofthe occluded object, so allowing the user to view the occluded object ina different location in the field of view.

In at least one embodiment a window is created on the DHR that includesthe image, the window positioned, at least in part, as a cut-away viewof an occluded space behind a surface of the real-world object. Theportion of the occluded object to render is determined as well as aperspective of the occluded object based on relative positions of theview position, the window, the real-world object, and the occludedobject. A new view position is then established based on a newreal-world position of the DHR. A new portion of the occluded object torender and a new perspective of the occluded object are then determinedbased on relative positions of the new view position, the window, thereal-world object, and the occluded object. A new image of at least thenew portion of the occluded object in the window on the DHR to replacethe image of at least the portion of the occluded object on the DHR. Inanother embodiment, the window is moved to a new position on the DH.Then the new portion of the occluded object to render and a newperspective of the occluded object are determined based on relativepositions of the view position, the new position of the window, thereal-world object, and the occluded object.

In some embodiments, a hierarchical set of windows may be used to showdifferent layers of occluded objects. A view position relative to areal-world object is established and data associated with an objectoccluded at the view position is received, where the occluded object atleast partially occluded by the real-world object at the view position.A first window is created on the DHR and an image of at least a portionof the occluded object is rendered and clipped to the first window. Asubsection of the occluded object in the first window is then selectedand data associated with a second object occluded by the subsection ofthe occluded object is received. A second window is created on the DHRand a second image of at least a portion of the second object isrendered into in the second window. The second object may be locatedwithin or behind the occluded object. The second window may bepositioned on the DHR independent of a position of the first window onthe DHR in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the second window maybe positioned to fully occlude the selected subsection of the occludedobject in the first window, with a shape of the second windowcorresponding to a shape of the selected subsection of the occludedobject.

FIG. 14 shows a flowchart 1400 of a second embodiment of a method formanipulating occluded objects shown through a display of ahybrid-reality system. The method starts 1401, and a first view positionincluding a direction and location on a real-world object is established1410. Data for one or more objects that are at least partially occludedby the real-world object at the first view position is received 1420.The data that is received includes information that may be used todetermine dimensions and the location of the occluded objects, allowingthe hybrid-reality system to render 1440 a first image of the occludedobject as if the object were not occluded at the first view point. Insome embodiments, a viewport is created 1442 on the real-world object bythe hybrid-reality system and the rendering of the first image isclipped 1444 to the viewport.

The flowchart 1400 continues by selecting 1460 one or more occludedobjects; in some embodiments the selection is made through user commandsand in at least one embodiment the selection default is all occludedobjects visible in first image. In at least one embodiment the selectingof the at least one occluded object includes receiving one or morecommands from a user of the hybrid-reality system to select the at leastone occluded object so that the at least one occluded object includes afirst occluded object of the one or more occluded objects rendered inthe first image and excludes a second occluded object of the one or moreoccluded objects rendered in the first image. A gesture of the user maybe detected using a sensor coupled to the hybrid-reality system and theone or more commands may be determined based on the gesture. Theflowchart 1400 continues by establishing 1480 a second view position; inexample embodiments the second view position is a point in space outsidethe real-world object that the user can move around. A change oflocation of the DHR may be detected to establish the second viewposition in some embodiments. In some embodiments, input from the userof the hybrid-reality system, such as commands, one or more gestures, orany other type of input, may be received to establish the second viewposition. The flowchart also includes rendering 1490 a second image ofthe selected objects at the second view position.

In some embodiments a view port on the image of the real-world object ismanipulated to set a size and/or a position of the view port and therendering 1440 of the first image is clipped to the view port. In atleast one embodiment the selecting 1460 is based on what is visible inthe view port. In an example embodiment, a gesture by the user isdetected using a sensor coupled to the hybrid-reality system tomanipulate the size and/or position of the view-port. As a non-limitingexample, gestures may also be used to command the hybrid-reality systemto select 1460 the occluded object from the first image and deselectpreviously selected objects.

The second image may be rendered at a position on the DHR independent of(i.e. without regard to) a position of an image of the real-world objecton the DHR. In some embodiments, the establishing 1480 a second viewposition uses a position that is not related to the position of an imageof the real-world object on the DHR, such as, but not limited to, apoint in the field-of-view that is determined to be empty of visibledata, a point in space between the user and the real-world object, or apoint in real-world space that the user can access determined to have nophysical obstructions. In one example embodiment, the establishing 1480a second view position is made iteratively to place the second image atan optimal position with maximum unobstructed surrounding space. In someembodiments, the establishing 1480 a second view position is a fixedpoint on the display (e.g. set using a system default or previously setby the user) used to create a separate window in which to render thesecond image on the DHR. In at least one embodiment, the second image isa representation of the selected occluded object as if it were areal-world object at the second position. In one non-limiting example,the second view position may be set by user movement, such as pointingto a point in space or using a point between a new user position and thereal-world object.

In some embodiments the rendering 1490 of a second image causes thefirst image to be removed; whether to remove or keep the first image maybe a parameter in the hybrid-reality system or controlled by an explicitcommand issued by the user. So in some embodiments, the first image andthe second image may be presented on the DHR simultaneously.

In at least one embodiment, the establishing 1480 a second view positioncontinues as a series of subsequent view positions 1480 and therendering 1490 of the second image updated based on each view position(which has both direction and location) to create an interactive displayon the DHR. In some embodiments, the user may move around the renderedsecond image in space to observe the selected occluded object fromdifferent perspectives. This may be achieved in at least one embodimentby using sensors coupled to the DHR (e.g. cameras in the environment,gyroscopes in a head-mounted system, a GPS receiver, or cameras mountedon the user) to establish a set of user positions in space and sogenerate a series of view positions used to render the interactivedisplay of the selected occluded object. In example embodiments, theseries of view positions used to render the interactive display of theselected occluded object may be set by the user issuing a series ofcommands interpreted by the hybrid-reality system as a series of viewpositions, such as, but not limited to, tracking hand motion or apointer, tracking eye movement, or tracking head orientation over time.

In some embodiments, a first location and a first orientation of the DHRmay be determined using sensors in the DHR at a first time to establishthe first view position based on the first location and the firstorientation of the DHR. A virtual position may be established withrespect to the first view location for a virtual presentation of the atleast one selected objects. A second location and a second orientationof the DHR may be determined using the sensors in the DHR at a secondtime to establish the second view position based on the second locationand the second orientation of the DHR. The at least one selected objectmay then be rendered from the second view position at the virtualposition in the second image. In some embodiments, subsequent locationsand subsequent orientations of the DHR may be determined using sensorsin the DHR over a period of time to establish subsequent view positions,and subsequent images of the at least one selected occluded objectgenerated on the DHR from the subsequent view positions at the virtualposition in near real-time to create an interactive display on the DHR.The DHR may be a part of a head-mounted display.

FIG. 15 shows flowchart 1500 of a third embodiment of a method toprovide information obscured to a user through a display of ahybrid-reality system (DHR). The method starts 1501 by establishing aview position relative to a real-world object 1510 and receiving firstdimension and position data 1520 associated with an occluded object. Theoccluded object is at least partially occluded by the real-world objectat the view position. A first image of at least a portion of theoccluded object is rendered 1530 on the DHR using the first data.

In some embodiments, a virtual tool is selected 1532. The virtual toolmay allow various parameters or measurements of the occlude object to bemonitored. The virtual tool can include a visual indicator of the tool,such as, but not limited to, an icon, an image, or text. Examplesinclude a thermometer icon, a stethoscope icon, and an image of ananalog voltage meter. The virtual tool may then be associated 1534 withthe occluded object. The association may include placing the virtualtool at a first location of the first image. In some embodiments, asecond image of at least the portion of the occluded object is renderedalong with an image of its associated virtual tool on the DHR.

In some embodiments, a sensor monitoring the occluded object is selected1536 based on the association of the virtual tool with the occludedobject, based on the type of virtual tool selected, or based on thefirst location of the first image where the virtual tool is placed. Thesensor may be physically coupled to the DHR or may be separate from theDHR. The first location may represent a particular location on theoccluded object, such as a particular part of the occluded object, aparticular object within the occluded object, a test point of theoccluded object, or any other interesting feature of the occludedobject. In some embodiments, the selected sensor may be activated uponits selection.

Second data associated with the occluded object is received 1540. Thesecond data may represent information about the occluded object, such asa temperature measurement, a voltage, a pressure level, a stressmeasurement, a noise level, or any other information about the occludedobject. The second data may be received from a sensor monitoring theoccluded object. In some embodiments, the second data may be receivedfrom the selected sensor, but in other embodiments, the second data maybe received from an external source, such as a remote computer incommunication with the occluded object or a human observing the occludedobject. The external source may be selected based on the selection ofthe virtual tool or on the type of virtual tool. In some embodiments, atleast a portion of the second data is stored and the portion of thesecond data to be stored may be based on a type of the virtual tool.

A stimulus is provided 1550 to the user representing the second data. Insome embodiments, the stimulus may be a virtual object presented on theDHR on or near the occluded object. The stimulus may include textdisplayed on the DHR, a fill amount of the rendered occluded object, acolor of at least a portion of the rendered occluded object, a hapticstimulus, or audio content, depending on the embodiment. In someembodiments, the stimulus includes text associated with the virtualtool, a fill amount or a color of the virtual tool, audio content, or ahaptic stimulus. The stimulus may be selected based on a location of thevirtual tool on the occluded object. In one example embodiment, thevirtual tool includes an image of a thermometer, and the second datarepresents a temperature of the occluded object at a location of thevirtual tool on the occluded object.

FIG. 16 shows a flowchart 1600 of a fourth embodiment of a methodprovide information obscured to a user through a display of ahybrid-reality system (DHR). The method starts 1601 by receiving dataassociated with an occluded object 1610, the occluded object at leastpartially occluded by a real-world object at a position of the user.

The method continues by creating 1620 a display window on the DHR. Oneor more parameters, such as a size, a shape, and/or a position, may bereceived for the display window. The parameters may be received from theuser of the DHR, a third party, or may be received from a configurationfile of the hybrid-reality system stored locally or remotely. So thedisplay window may be created at a position on the DHR based on the oneor more parameters.

A first magnification factor is obtained 1630. The first magnificationfactor may be obtained in many different ways. In some embodiments thefirst magnification factor may be set to a default value, such as unity.In at least one embodiment the first magnification factor may be setbased on one or more commands received or based on the one or moreparameters received for the display window. The method may includecreating a view-port having a first size associated with a first portionof the real-world object. The view port may be used to show the occludedobject in-situ in an apparent opening on the real-world object that isoccluding the occluded object. The first magnification factor may bedetermined based on at least a first size of the display window and thefirst size of the view-port, such as by using a ratio of the first sizeof the display window to the first size of the view-port as the firstmagnification factor as one non-limiting example. Once the firstmagnification factor has been determined, a first image of at least theportion of the occluded object is rendered 1640 in the display window atthe first magnification factor at a first time.

A second magnification factor, different than the first magnificationfactor, is obtained 1650 and a second image of at least the portion ofthe occluded object is rendered 1660 in the display window at the secondmagnification factor at a second time after the first time. The secondmagnification factor may be obtained in many different ways. In someembodiments, a command may be received and the second magnificationfactor determined based, at least in part, on the command. The commandmay be received from any source, including from the user or from anexternal source.

In some embodiments, a first virtual distance between the display windowand the real-world object is obtained at about the first time and asecond virtual distance between the display window and the real-worldobject is obtained at about the second time. A first real-world distancebetween the user and the real-world object may be obtained at about thetime that the display window is created and the first virtual distancemay be determined based on the first real-world distance in someembodiments. The second magnification factor may be calculated based, atleast in part, on the first magnification factor, the first virtualdistance, and the second virtual distance. Control information relatedto the display window may be received between the first time and thesecond time in some embodiments and the second virtual distancedetermined based on the control information. In some embodiments a usermay use gestures, voice commands, or other types of control input toadopt a metaphor of a magnifying glass to change the secondmagnification factor by moving the display window in and out to changethe second magnification factor.

In some embodiments, the view-port may be changed to have a second sizeand the second magnification factor may be determined based on at leastthe first size of the display window and the second size of theview-port. Input from an external source or the user may be received tochange the first size of the view port to a second size of the viewport. The second magnification factor may also be manipulated bychanging the display window to have a second size so the secondmagnification factor may be based on at least the second size of thedisplay window and the first size of the view-port. The sizes of boththe display window and view-port may be changed so that the secondmagnification factor may also be based on both the second size of thedisplay window and the second size of the view-port. In at least oneembodiment the second magnification factor may be based on a ratio ofthe size of the display window to the size of the view-port at thesecond time.

In some embodiments the view-port may be moved to a second portion ofthe real-world object that occluded a different portion of the occludedobject. A third image of at least a different portion of the occludedobject may then be rendered in the display window.

The method of flowchart 1600 may also be used in a hierarchical viewingenvironment where the real-world object is at least partially occludedfrom view at the position of the user by another object, and theoccluded object is occluded by both the real-world object and the otherobject. The occluded object may be located within the real-world objector behind the real-world object. In such cases, the display windowreferred to above may be a second display window showing the occludedobject. The second display window on the DHR may be positionedindependent of a position of the first display window on the DHR. In atleast one embodiment the second display window may be positioned tofully occlude the selected portion of the real-world object in the firstwindow, wherein a shape of the second window corresponds to a shape ofthe selected portion of the real-world object. An image of thereal-world object may be displayed in a first display window on the DHR.A portion of the real-world object that is occluding the portion of theoccluded object may be selected in the first display window and may beused to determine what to show in the second display window that issubject to a change in magnification.

FIG. 17 shows a flowchart 1700 of a fifth embodiment of a method provideinformation obscured to a user through a display of a hybrid-realitysystem (DHR). The method starts 1701 by establishing a view position1710 relative to a real-world object and first data associated with anoccluded object is received 1720. The first data provides informationabout a first position, at a first time, of at least a moveable portionof the occluded object. The occluded object is at least partiallyoccluded from the view position by a surface of the real-world object atthe first time. In some cases, the first data may indicate that themoveable portion of the occluded object is occluded from the viewposition by the surface of the real-world object at the first time, butin other cases, the first data may indicate that the moveable portion ofthe occluded object is, at least in part, not occluded from the viewposition by the surface of the real-world object at the first time. Afirst image of at least the moveable portion of the occluded object inthe first position is then rendered 1730 on the display.

Second data associated with the occluded object is received 1740. Thesecond data provides information about a second position, at a secondtime, of the moveable portion of the occluded object. The occludedobject is at least partially occluded from the view position by thesurface of the real-world object at the second time. The second data mayindicate that the moveable portion of the occluded object is occludedfrom the view position by the surface of the real-world object at thesecond time. In some cases, the moveable portion of the occluded objectmay be occluded by the surface of the real-world staying at both thefirst time and the second time. In other cases, the moveable portion ofthe occluded object may move into occlusion or may move out of occlusionbetween the first time and the second time.

In some embodiments, first sensor data may be received from a sensorincluded in the occluded object or a separate sensor that monitors theoccluded object. The first data may include the first sensor data. Thefirst position of the moveable portion of the occluded object may bedetermined based on the first sensor data. Second sensor data, includedin the second data, may be received from the sensor, and the secondposition of the moveable portion of the occluded object determined basedon the second sensor data.

Sensor data providing information about a third position of a secondobject may be received in some embodiments. The second position of themoveable portion of the occluded object may be determined based, atleast in part, on the third position of the second object. This may bedone where the third position may at least partially alter the positionof the occluded object. Non-limiting examples of this are a wrench orscrewdriver (second object) turning a nut (portion of the occludedobject), an segment of a mechanical arm (second object) which isattached to its base moving a next segment of mechanical arm having(portion of the occluded object), or a first gear (second object) movingan engaged second gear (portion of the occluded object). Depending onthe occluded object, the second object may be separate from the occludedobject and/or coupled to the occluded object. The second object may, atleast in part, move the moveable portion of the occluded object. In someembodiments, the sensor data may be stored, and in at least oneembodiment, the second position may be calculated based, at least inpart, on previously stored sensor data.

A second image of at least the moveable portion of the occluded objectin the second position is then rendered 1750 on the display to replacethe first image. Some embodiments may create a window on the displaypositioned to at least partially occlude the real-world object andrender the second image into the window consistent with a real-worldposition of the second set of occluded objects relative to the viewposition.

In various embodiments, the occluded object may include a first objectand a second object, and the moveable portion of the occluded object mayconsist of only the second object. In at least one embodiment, thirddata associated with the occluded object may be received with the thirddata providing information about a third position, at a third time, ofthe first object without information related to the second object. Thefirst object may be at least partially occluded from the view positionby the surface of the real-world object at the third time. A third imageof the first portion of the first object in the third position, withoutthe second object, may then be rendered on the display. The third timemay occur at any time with respect to the first time and the secondtime, and in some cases the third time may occur before the second time.The second object may become occluded by a surface of the real-worldobject between the third time and the second time.

In some embodiments the moveable portion of the occluded object is undercontrol of a user of the hybrid-reality system. Some embodiments mayprovide guidance to the user on where to move the moveable portion ofthe occluded object. This guidance may take any form including, but notlimited to, audio messages, textual messages presented on the DHR, orgraphical messages presented on the DHR. In some cases the occludedobject is associated with a body part of a user of the hybrid-realitysystem. A non-limiting example of this is a glove (the occluded object)worn on a hand (body part) of a user.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, aspects ofthe various embodiments may be embodied as a system, device, method, orcomputer program product apparatus. Accordingly, elements of the presentdisclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, anentirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software,micro-code, or the like) or an embodiment combining software andhardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a“server,” “circuit,” “module,” “client,” “computer,” “logic,” or“system,” or other terms. Furthermore, aspects of the variousembodiments may take the form of a computer program product embodied inone or more computer-readable medium(s) having computer program codestored thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer-readable storage medium(s) maybe utilized. A computer-readable storage medium may be embodied as, forexample, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, orsemiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or other like storagedevices known to those of ordinary skill in the art, or any suitablecombination of computer-readable storage mediums described herein. Inthe context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may beany tangible medium that can contain, or store a program and/or data foruse by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus,or device. Even if the data in the computer-readable storage mediumrequires action to maintain the storage of data, such as in atraditional semiconductor-based dynamic random access memory, the datastorage in a computer-readable storage medium can be considered to benon-transitory. A computer data transmission medium, such as atransmission line, a coaxial cable, a radio-frequency carrier, and thelike, may also be able to store data, although any data storage in adata transmission medium can be said to be transitory storage.Nonetheless, a computer-readable storage medium, as the term is usedherein, does not include a computer data transmission medium.

Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of variousembodiments may be written in any combination of one or more programminglanguages, including object oriented programming languages such as Java,Python, C++, or the like, conventional procedural programming languages,such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages,or low-level computer languages, such as assembly language or microcode.The computer program code if loaded onto a computer, or otherprogrammable apparatus, produces a computer implemented method. Theinstructions which execute on the computer or other programmableapparatus may provide the mechanism for implementing some or all of thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks. In accordance with various implementations, the program code mayexecute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer,as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer andpartly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer orserver, such as a cloud-based server. In the latter scenario, the remotecomputer may be connected to the user's computer through any type ofnetwork, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network(WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (forexample, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). Thecomputer program code stored in/on (i.e. embodied therewith) thenon-transitory computer-readable medium produces an article ofmanufacture.

The computer program code, if executed by a processor causes physicalchanges in the electronic devices of the processor which change thephysical flow of electrons through the devices. This alters theconnections between devices which changes the functionality of thecircuit. For example, if two transistors in a processor are wired toperform a multiplexing operation under control of the computer programcode, if a first computer instruction is executed, electrons from afirst source flow through the first transistor to a destination, but ifa different computer instruction is executed, electrons from the firstsource are blocked from reaching the destination, but electrons from asecond source are allowed to flow through the second transistor to thedestination. So a processor programmed to perform a task is transformedfrom what the processor was before being programmed to perform thattask, much like a physical plumbing system with different valves can becontrolled to change the physical flow of a fluid.

In at least one embodiment, a computer system renders one or morevirtual objects on a display of the computer system which representsoccluded or obscured details in the field-of-view. In some embodiments,the virtual rendering covers all or a portion of a real-world objectand, if there is motion, displayed in the correct perspective. Theinformation used to render one or more virtual objects may be known, forexample blueprints or maps. The information used to render one or morevirtual objects may be obtained from external sources, for exampledrones, mounted sensors or other personnel. The information used torender one or more virtual objects may be obtained from historical data,for example a video stream obtained prior to smoke obscuring the scene.

In at least one embodiment, information obscured to a user is providedthrough a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR). A view positionrelative to a real-world object is established and data associated withan occluded object is received. The occluded object is at leastpartially occluded by the real-world object at the view position. Animage of at least a portion of the occluded object is then rendered onthe DHR.

In at least one embodiment, an occluded object displayed through adisplay of a hybrid-reality system (DHR) is manipulated by establishinga first view position relative to a real-world object and receivingthree-dimensional data associated with occluded objects at the firstview position. A first image of at least a portion of the occludedobjects is rendered on the DHR from the first view position at ageometrically correct location with respect to an image of thereal-world object on the HMD using the three-dimensional data. One ormore occluded objects are selected from the first image and a secondimage of the selected objects is rendered on the DHR either in aseparate window or as an object in a field of view. The second image canthen be manipulated by the user of the hybrid-reality system to obtainmore detailed information.

In at least one embodiment, a computer system renders one or morevirtual objects on a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR), such ashead-mounted display (HMD), which represents occluded or obscureddetails in the field-of-view. Information is presented to a user byestablishing a view position relative to a real-world object andreceiving dimension and position data associated with an occludedobject. The occluded object is at least partially occluded by thereal-world object at the view position. A first image of at least aportion of the occluded object is rendered on the DHR using the firstdata. Second data associated with the occluded object is received and astimulus is provided to the user representing the second data.

In at least one embodiment, information obscured to a user is providedthrough a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR). Data associated withan occluded object at least partially occluded by a real-world object ata position of the user is received and a display window is created onthe DHR. A first magnification factor is obtained and a first image ofat least the portion of the occluded object is rendered in the displaywindow at the first magnification factor at a first time. A secondmagnification factor, different than the first magnification factor, isobtained, and a second image of at least the portion of the occludedobject is rendered in the display window at the second magnificationfactor at a second time after the first time.

In at least one embodiment, information obscured to a user is providedthrough a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR), such as ahead-mounted display (HMD). A view position relative to a real-worldobject is established, the real-world object at least partiallyoccluding a view of an occluded object. First data providing informationabout a first position, at a first time, of at least a moveable portionof an occluded object is received and a first image of at least themoveable portion of the occluded object in the first position is thenrendered on the display. Second data providing information about asecond position, at a second time, of the moveable portion of theoccluded object is then received, and a second image of at least themoveable portion of the occluded object in the second position isrendered on the display to replace the first image.

Various embodiments are described below. The embodiments described hereare not exhaustive of the embodiments disclosed and are non-limitingexamples.

Embodiment 1

A method to provide information obscured to a user through a display ofa hybrid-reality system (DHR), the method comprising: establishing aview position relative to a real-world object; receiving data associatedwith an occluded object, the occluded object at least partially occludedby the real-world object at the view position; and rendering an image ofat least a portion of the occluded object on the DHR.

Embodiment 2

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising creating a window on theDHR that includes the image and clipping the image to the window.

Embodiment 3

The method of embodiment 2, further comprising: positioning the windowto at least partially occlude the real-world object; and rendering theimage in a position in the window corresponding to a real-world positionof the occluded object.

Embodiment 4

The method of embodiment 3, further comprising positioning the window tofully occlude the real-world object, wherein a shape of the windowcorresponds to a shape of the real-world object.

Embodiment 5

The method of embodiment 2, further comprising positioning the windowindependently from a real-world position of the occluded object.

Embodiment 6

The method of embodiment 2, wherein the window is positioned, at leastin part, as a view of a space occluded behind a surface of thereal-world object.

Embodiment 7

The method of embodiment 2, wherein the window has an asymmetric shape.

Embodiment 8

The method of embodiment 2, wherein the window is a first window, themethod further comprising: selecting a subsection of the occluded objectin the first window; receiving data associated with a second objectoccluded by the subsection of the occluded object; and creating a secondwindow on the DHR and rendering a second image of at least a portion ofthe second object in the second window.

Embodiment 9

The method of embodiment 8, wherein the second object is located withinthe occluded object.

Embodiment 10

The method of embodiment 8, wherein the second object is located behindthe occluded object.

Embodiment 11

The method of embodiment 8, further comprising positioning the secondwindow on the DHR independent of a position of the first window on theDHR.

Embodiment 12

The method of embodiment 8, further comprising positioning the secondwindow to fully occlude the selected subsection of the occluded objectin the first window, wherein a shape of the second window corresponds toa shape of the selected subsection of the occluded object.

Embodiment 13

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising rendering the image of atleast the portion of the occluded object with a perspective based on auser position with respect to the real-world object.

Embodiment 14

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising rendering the image of atleast the portion of the occluded object with a perspective based onviewing parameters stored within the hybrid-reality system.

Embodiment 15

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising receiving the viewposition from an entity that is not the user.

Embodiment 16

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising: determining a real-worldposition of the DHR; and establishing the view position based on thereal-world position of the DHR.

Embodiment 17

The method of embodiment 16, further comprising: creating a window onthe DHR that includes the image, the window positioned, at least inpart, as a cut-away view of an occluded space behind a surface of thereal-world object; determining the portion of the occluded object torender and a perspective of the occluded object based on relativepositions of the view position, the window, the real-world object, andthe occluded object; establishing a new view position based on a newreal-world position of the DHR; determining a new portion of theoccluded object to render and a new perspective of the occluded objectbased on relative positions of the new view position, the window, thereal-world object, and the occluded object; and rendering a new image ofat least the new portion of the occluded object in the window on the DHRto replace the image of at least the portion of the occluded object onthe DHR.

Embodiment 18

The method of embodiment 16, further comprising: creating a window onthe DHR that includes the image, the window positioned, at least inpart, as a cut-away view of an occluded space behind a surface of thereal-world object; determining the portion of the occluded object torender and a perspective of the occluded object based on relativepositions of the view position, the window, the real-world object, andthe occluded object; moving the window to a new position on the DHR;determining a new portion of the occluded object to render and a newperspective of the occluded object based on relative positions of theview position, the new position of the window, the real-world object,and the occluded object; and rendering a new image of at least the newportion of the occluded object in the window on the DHR to replace theimage of at least the portion of the occluded object on the DHR.

Embodiment 19

The method of embodiment 1, further comprising determining acharacteristic of the real-world object, wherein the data associatedwith the occluded object is based on the characteristic of thereal-world object.

Embodiment 20

The method of embodiment 1, wherein the data associated with theoccluded object comprises information related to the real-world object.

Embodiment 21

The method of embodiment 20, wherein the data associated with theoccluded object comprises a schematic, plan, blueprint, or map of thereal-world object.

Embodiment 22

The method of embodiment 1, wherein the received data associated withthe occluded object is based on data from one or more sensors.

Embodiment 23

The method of embodiment 1, wherein the received data associated withthe occluded object was established at an earlier time.

Embodiment 24

The method of embodiment 23, wherein the received data associated withthe occluded object was collected during a visit at an earlier time toan area near the occluded object by one or more people usinghybrid-reality systems with integrated sensors.

Embodiment 25

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium, that is not atransitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readable instructionsthat, when applied to a computer system, instruct the computer system toperform a method comprising: establishing a view position relative to areal-world object; receiving data associated with an occluded object,the occluded object at least partially occluded by the real-world objectat the view position; and rendering an image of at least a portion ofthe occluded object on the DHR.

Embodiment 26

A hybrid-reality system comprising: a display; a structure, coupled tothe display and adapted to position the display in a field-of-view (FOV)of the user; and a processor, coupled to the display, the processorconfigured to: establish a view position relative to a real-worldobject; receive data associated with an occluded object, the occludedobject at least partially occluded by the real-world object at the viewposition; and render an image of at least a portion of the occludedobject on the display.

Embodiment 27

A method to virtually manipulate an occluded object shown through adisplay of a hybrid-reality system (DHR), the method comprising:establishing a first view position including a first view location and afirst direction of view relative to a real-world object; receivingposition data associated with one or more occluded objects, the one ormore occluded objects at least partially occluded by the real-worldobject at the first view position; rendering a first image of at least aportion of the one or more occluded objects on the HMD at the first viewposition, the portion of the one or more occluded objects rendered at ageometrically correct location with respect to an image of thereal-world object on the DHR using the received position data; selectingat least one occluded object from the portion of the one or moreoccluded objects rendered in the first image; establishing a second viewposition including a second location and a second direction of viewrelative to the at least one selected occluded object; and rendering asecond image of the at least one selected occluded object on the DHRfrom the second view position using the received position data.

Embodiment 28

The method of embodiment 27, said selecting comprising: manipulating asize and/or position of a view-port on the image of the real-worldobject, wherein the first image is clipped to the view-port; andselecting the at least one occluded object based on what is visible inthe view-port.

Embodiment 29

The method of embodiment 28, the manipulating comprising: detecting agesture of the user using a sensor coupled to the hybrid-reality system;and manipulating a size and/or position of a view-port based on thegesture.

Embodiment 30

The method of embodiment 27, said selecting comprising receiving one ormore command s from a user of the hybrid-reality system to select the atleast one occluded object, wherein the at least one occluded objectincludes a first occluded object of the one or more occluded objectsrendered in the first image and excludes a second occluded object of theone or more occluded objects rendered in the first image.

Embodiment 31

The method of embodiment 30, the receiving command s comprising:detecting a gesture of the user using a sensor coupled to thehybrid-reality system; and determining the one or more command s basedon the gesture.

Embodiment 32

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising rendering the secondimage at a position on the DHR independent of a position of an image ofthe real-world object on the DHR.

Embodiment 33

The method of embodiment 32, wherein the second image is displayed in awindow on the DHR.

Embodiment 34

The method of embodiment 32, wherein the at least one selected occludedobject is displayed on the DHR as an object in a field of view.

Embodiment 35

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising presenting the firstimage and the second image on the DHR simultaneously.

Embodiment 36

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising detecting a change oflocation of the DHR to establish the second view position.

Embodiment 37

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising receiving input from theuser of the hybrid-reality system to establish the second view position.

Embodiment 38

The method of embodiment 37, the receiving input comprising: detecting agesture of the user using a sensor coupled to the hybrid-reality system;and determining the input based on the gesture.

Embodiment 39

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising: receiving input from auser of the hybrid-reality system over a period of time to establishsubsequent view positions; and generating subsequent images of the atleast one selected occluded object on the DHR from the subsequent viewpositions in near real-time to create an interactive display on the DHR.

Embodiment 40

The method of embodiment 39, the receiving input comprising: detectinggestures of the user using a sensor coupled to the hybrid realitysystem; and determining the input based on the gestures.

Embodiment 41

The method of embodiment 39, the receiving input comprising determininglocations of the DHR over the period of time using sensors included inthe DHR.

Embodiment 42

The method of embodiment 27, further comprising: determining a firstlocation and a first orientation of the DHR using sensors in the DHR ata first time; establishing the first view position based on the firstlocation and the first orientation of the DHR; establishing a virtualposition with respect to the first view location for a virtualpresentation of the at least one selected objects; determining a secondlocation and a second orientation of the DHR using the sensors in theDHR at a second time; establishing the second view position based on thesecond location and the second orientation of the DHR; and rendering theat least one selected object from the second view position at thevirtual position in the second image.

Embodiment 43

The method of embodiment 42, wherein the DHR comprises a head-mounteddisplay (HMD).

Embodiment 44

The method of embodiment 42, further comprising: determining subsequentlocations and subsequent orientations of the DHR using sensors in theDHR over a period of time to establish subsequent view positions; andgenerating subsequent images of the at least one selected occludedobject on the DHR from the subsequent view positions at the virtualposition in near real-time to create an interactive display on the DHR.

Embodiment 45

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium, that is not atransitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readable instructionsthat, when applied to a computer system, instruct the computer system toperform a method comprising: establishing a first view positionincluding a first view location and a first direction of view relativeto a real-world object; receiving position data associated with one ormore occluded objects, the one or more occluded objects at leastpartially occluded by the real-world object at the first view position;rendering a first image of at least a portion of the one or moreoccluded objects on the HMD at the first view position, the portion ofthe one or more occluded objects rendered at a geometrically correctlocation with respect to an image of the real-world object on the DHRusing the received position data; selecting at least one occluded objectfrom the portion of the one or more occluded objects rendered in thefirst image; establishing a second view position including a secondlocation and a second direction of view relative to the at least oneselected occluded object; and rendering a second image of the at leastone selected occluded object on the DHR from the second view positionusing the received position data.

Embodiment 46

A hybrid-reality system comprising: a display; a structure, coupled tothe display and adapted to position the display in a field-of-view (FOV)of the user; a processor, coupled to the display, the processorconfigured to: establish a first view position including a first viewlocation and a first direction of view relative to a real-world object;receive position data associated with one or more occluded objects, theone or more occluded objects at least partially occluded by thereal-world object at the first view position; render a first image of atleast a portion of the one or more occluded objects on the HMD at thefirst view position, the portion of the one or more occluded objectsrendered at a geometrically correct location with respect to an image ofthe real-world object on the DHR using the received position data;select at least one occluded object from the portion of the one or moreoccluded objects rendered in the first image; establish a second viewposition including a second location and a second direction of viewrelative to the at least one selected occluded object; and render asecond image of the at least one selected occluded object on the DHRfrom the second view position using the received position data.

Embodiment 47

A method to provide information obscured to a user through a displayassociated with a hybrid-reality system (DHR), the method comprising:establishing a view position relative to a real-world object; receivingfirst dimension and position data associated with an occluded object,the occluded object at least partially occluded by the real-world objectat the view position; rendering a first image of at least a portion ofthe occluded object on the DHR using the first data; receiving seconddata associated with the occluded object; and providing a stimulus tothe user representing the second data.

Embodiment 48

The method of embodiment 47, wherein the stimulus comprises a virtualobject presented on the DHR on or near the occluded object

Embodiment 49

The method of embodiment 47, the stimulus comprising text displayed onthe DHR, a fill amount of the rendered occluded object, a color of atleast a portion of the rendered occluded object, a haptic stimulus, oraudio content or any combination thereof.

Embodiment 50

The method of embodiment 47, further comprising receiving the seconddata from a sensor monitoring the occluded object.

Embodiment 51

The method of embodiment 50, wherein the sensor is physically coupled tothe occluded object.

Embodiment 52

The method of embodiment 47, further comprising: selecting a virtualtool; associating the virtual tool with the occluded object; andrendering a second image of at least the portion of the occluded objectwith its associated virtual tool on the DHR.

Embodiment 53

The method of embodiment 52, the stimulus comprising text associatedwith the virtual tool.

Embodiment 54

The method of embodiment 52, the stimulus comprising a fill amount or acolor of the virtual tool.

Embodiment 55

The method of embodiment 52, wherein the virtual tool comprises an imageof a thermometer, and the second data represents a temperature of theoccluded object at a location of the virtual tool on the occludedobject.

Embodiment 56

The method of embodiment 52, the stimulus comprising audio content or ahaptic stimulus selected based on a location of the virtual tool on theoccluded object.

Embodiment 57

The method of embodiment 52, further comprising: selecting a sensormonitoring the occluded object based on the association of the virtualtool with the occluded object; and receiving the second data from theselected sensor.

Embodiment 58

The method of embodiment 57, further comprising activating the selectedsensor.

Embodiment 59

The method of embodiment 52, further comprising: placing the virtualtool at a first location of the first image; selecting a sensormonitoring the occluded object based on the first location; andreceiving the second data from the selected sensor.

Embodiment 60

The method of embodiment 59, further comprising activating the selectedsensor.

Embodiment 61

The method of embodiment 52, further comprising: selecting an externaldata source based on the selection of the virtual tool; and receivingthe second data from the selected external data source.

Embodiment 62

The method of embodiment 61, the selecting of the external data sourceis based, at least in part, on a type of the virtual tool.

Embodiment 63

The method of embodiment 47, further comprising storing at least aportion of the second data.

Embodiment 64

The method of embodiment 63, further comprising determining the portionof the second data to be stored based on a type of the virtual tool.

Embodiment 65

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium, that is not atransitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readable instructionsthat, when applied to a computer system, instruct the computer system toperform a method comprising: establishing a view position relative to areal-world object; receiving first dimension and position dataassociated with an occluded object, the occluded object at leastpartially occluded by the real-world object at the view position;rendering a first image of at least a portion of the occluded object onthe DHR using the first data; receiving second data associated with theoccluded object; and providing a stimulus to the user representing thesecond data.

Embodiment 66

A hybrid-reality system comprising: a display; a structure, coupled tothe display and adapted to position the display in a field-of-view (FOV)of the user; a processor, coupled to the display, the processorconfigured to: establish a view position relative to a real-worldobject; receive first dimension and position data associated with anoccluded object, the occluded object at least partially occluded by thereal-world object at the view position; render a first image of at leasta portion of the occluded object on the DHR using the first data;receive second data associated with the occluded object; and provide astimulus to the user representing the second data.

Embodiment 67

A method to provide information obscured to a user through a display ofa hybrid reality system (DHR), the method comprising: receiving dataassociated with an occluded object, the occluded object at leastpartially occluded by a real-world object at a position of the user;creating a display window on the DHR; obtaining a first magnificationfactor; rendering a first image of at least the portion of the occludedobject in the display window at the first magnification factor at afirst time; obtaining a second magnification factor, different than thefirst magnification factor; and rendering a second image of at least theportion of the occluded object in the display window at the secondmagnification factor at a second time after the first time.

Embodiment 68

The method of embodiment 67, further comprising: receiving a command;determining the second magnification factor based, at least in part, onthe command.

Embodiment 69

The method of embodiment 68, wherein the command is received from theuser.

Embodiment 70

The method of embodiment 68, wherein the command is received from anexternal source.

Embodiment 71

The method of embodiment 67, further comprising: obtaining a firstvirtual distance between the display window and the real-world object atabout the first time; obtaining a second virtual distance between thedisplay window and the real-world object at about the second time; andcalculating the second magnification factor based, at least in part, onthe first magnification factor, the first virtual distance, and thesecond virtual distance.

Embodiment 72

The method of embodiment 71, further comprising: obtaining a firstreal-world distance between the user and the real-world object at aboutthe time that the display window is created; and determining the firstvirtual distance based on the first real-world distance.

Embodiment 73

The method of embodiment 71, further comprising: receiving controlinformation related to the display window between the first time and thesecond time; and determining the second virtual distance based on thecontrol information.

Embodiment 74

The method of embodiment 67, further comprising: receiving one or moreparameters for the display window; determining the first magnificationfactor based on the one or more parameters; and creating the displaywindow at a position on the DHR based on the one or more parameters.

Embodiment 75

The method of embodiment 67, further comprising: creating a view-portassociated with a first portion of the real-world object, the view-porthaving a first size; determining the first magnification factor based onat least a first size of the display window and the first size of theview-port.

Embodiment 76

The method of embodiment 75, further comprising receiving input from anexternal source to change the first size of the view port to a secondsize of the view port.

Embodiment 77

The method of embodiment 75, further comprising: changing the view-portto have a second size; determining the second magnification factor basedon at least the first size of the display window and the second size ofthe view-port.

Embodiment 78

The method of embodiment 75, further comprising: changing the displaywindow to have a second size; determining the second magnificationfactor based on at least the second size of the display window and thefirst size of the view-port.

Embodiment 79

The method of embodiment 75, further comprising: moving the view-port toa second portion of the real-world object; rendering a third image of atleast a different portion of the occluded object in the display window,the different portion of the occluded object occluded by the secondportion of the real-world object.

Embodiment 80

The method of embodiment 67, wherein the display window is a seconddisplay window, the method further comprising: displaying an image ofthe real-world object in a first display window on the DHR, thereal-world object at least partially occluded from view at the positionof the user; and selecting a portion of the real-world object in thefirst display window that is occluding the portion of the occludedobject.

Embodiment 81

The method of embodiment 80, wherein the occluded object is locatedwithin the real-world object.

Embodiment 82

The method of embodiment 80, wherein the occluded object is locatedbehind the real-world object.

Embodiment 83

The method of embodiment 80, further comprising positioning the seconddisplay window on the DHR independent of a position of the first displaywindow on the DHR.

Embodiment 84

The method of embodiment 80, further comprising positioning the seconddisplay window to fully occlude the selected portion of the real-worldobject in the first window, wherein a shape of the second windowcorresponds to a shape of the selected portion of the real-world object.

Embodiment 85

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium, that is not atransitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readable instructionsthat, when applied to a computer system, instruct the computer system toperform a method comprising: receiving data associated with an occludedobject, the occluded object at least partially occluded by a real-worldobject at a position of the user; creating a display window on a displayof a hybrid reality system (DHR); obtaining a first magnificationfactor; rendering a first image of at least the portion of the occludedobject in the display window at the first magnification factor at afirst time; obtaining a second magnification factor, different than thefirst magnification factor; and rendering a second image of at least theportion of the occluded object in the display window at the secondmagnification factor at a second time after the first time.

Embodiment 86

A hybrid reality system comprising: a display; a structure, coupled tothe display and adapted to position the display in a field-of-view (FOV)of the user; a processor, coupled to the display, the processorconfigured to: receive data associated with an occluded object, theoccluded object at least partially occluded by a real-world object at aposition of the user; create a display window on the display; obtain afirst magnification factor; render a first image of at least the portionof the occluded object in the display window at the first magnificationfactor at a first time; obtain a second magnification factor, differentthan the first magnification factor; and render a second image of atleast the portion of the occluded object in the display window at thesecond magnification factor at a second time after the first time.

Embodiment 87

A method to provide information obscured to a user through a display ofa hybrid-reality system (DHR), the method comprising: establishing aview position relative to a real-world object; receiving first dataassociated with an occluded object, the first data providing informationabout a first position, at a first time, of at least a moveable portionof the occluded object, the occluded object at least partially occludedfrom the view position by a surface of the real-world object at thefirst time; rendering a first image of at least the moveable portion ofthe occluded object in the first position on the display; receivingsecond data associated with the occluded object, the second dataproviding information about a second position, at a second time, of themoveable portion of the occluded object, the occluded object at leastpartially occluded from the view position by the surface of thereal-world object at the second time; and rendering a second image of atleast the moveable portion of the occluded object in the second positionon the display to replace the first image.

Embodiment 88

The method of embodiment 87, wherein: the first data indicates that themoveable portion of the occluded object is occluded from the viewposition by the surface of the real world object at the first time; andthe second data indicates that the moveable portion of the occludedobject is occluded from the view position by the surface of the realworld object at the second time.

Embodiment 89

The method of embodiment 87, wherein: the first data indicates that themoveable portion of the occluded object is, at least in part, notoccluded from the view position by the surface of the real world objectat the first time; and the second data indicates that the moveableportion of the occluded object is occluded from the view position by thesurface of the real world object at the second time.

Embodiment 90

The method of embodiment 87, the occluded object comprising a firstobject and a second object, and the moveable portion of the occludedobject consisting of the second object.

Embodiment 91

The method of embodiment 90, further comprising: receiving third dataassociated with the occluded object, the third data providinginformation about a third position, at a third time, of the first objectwithout information related to the second object, the first object atleast partially occluded from the view position by the surface of thereal-world object at the third time; and rendering a third image of thefirst portion of the first object in the third position, without thesecond object, on the display.

Embodiment 92

The method of embodiment 91, wherein the third time occurs before thesecond time; and the second object becomes occluded by a surface of thereal-world object between the third time and the second time.

Embodiment 93

The method of embodiment 87, further comprising: creating a window onthe display positioned to at least partially occlude the real-worldobject; and rendering the second image into the window consistent with areal-world position of the second set of occluded objects relative tothe view position.

Embodiment 94

The method of embodiment 87, further comprising: receiving first sensordata from a sensor included in the occluded object, the first datacomprising the first sensor data; determining the first position of themoveable portion of the occluded object based on the first sensor data;receiving second sensor data from the sensor, the second data comprisingthe second sensor data; and determining the second position of themoveable portion of the occluded object based on the second sensor data.

Embodiment 95

The method of embodiment 87, further comprising: receiving first sensordata from a sensor separate from the occluded object, the first datacomprising the first sensor data; determining the first position of themoveable portion of the occluded object based on the first sensor data;receiving second sensor data from the sensor, the second data comprisingthe second sensor data; and determining the second position of themoveable portion of the occluded object based on the second sensor data.

Embodiment 96

The method of embodiment 87, wherein the moveable portion of theoccluded object is under control of a user of the hybrid-reality system.

Embodiment 97

The method of embodiment 96, further comprising providing guidance tothe user on where to move the moveable portion of the occluded object.

Embodiment 98

The method of embodiment 87, wherein the occluded object is associatedwith a body part of a user of the hybrid-reality system.

Embodiment 99

The method of embodiment 87, further comprising: receiving sensor datafrom a sensor, the sensor data providing information about a thirdposition of a second object; and determining the second position of themoveable portion of the occluded object based, at least in part, on thethird position of the second object.

Embodiment 100

The method of embodiment 99, wherein the second object is separate fromthe occluded object.

Embodiment 101

The method of embodiment 99, wherein the second object is coupled to theoccluded object.

Embodiment 102

The method of embodiment 100, wherein the second object, at least inpart, moves the moveable portion of the occluded object.

Embodiment 103

The method of embodiment 99, further comprising: storing the sensordata; and computing the second position based, at least in part, onpreviously stored sensor data.

Embodiment 104

An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium, that is not atransitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readable instructionsthat, when applied to a computer system, instruct the computer system toperform a method comprising: establishing a view position relative to areal-world object; receiving first data associated with an occludedobject, the first data providing information about a first position, ata first time, of at least a moveable portion of the occluded object, theoccluded object at least partially occluded from the view position by asurface of the real-world object at the first time; rendering a firstimage of at least the moveable portion of the occluded object in thefirst position on the display; receiving second data associated with theoccluded object, the second data providing information about a secondposition, at a second time, of the moveable portion of the occludedobject, the occluded object at least partially occluded from the viewposition by the surface of the real-world object at the second time; andrendering a second image of at least the moveable portion of theoccluded object in the second position on the display to replace thefirst image.

Embodiment 105

A hybrid-reality system comprising: a display; a structure, coupled tothe display and adapted to position the display in a field-of-view (FOV)of the user; and a processor, coupled to the display, the processorconfigured to: establish a view position relative to a real-worldobject; receive first data associated with an occluded object, the firstdata providing information about a first position, at a first time, ofat least a moveable portion of the occluded object, the occluded objectat least partially occluded from the view position by a surface of thereal-world object at the first time; render a first image of at leastthe moveable portion of the occluded object in the first position on thedisplay; receive second data associated with the occluded object, thesecond data providing information about a second position, at a secondtime, of the moveable portion of the occluded object, the occludedobject at least partially occluded from the view position by the surfaceof the real-world object at the second time; and render a second imageof at least the moveable portion of the occluded object in the secondposition on the display to replace the first image.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities,properties, measurements, and so forth, used in the specification andclaims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by theterm “about.” The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includesall numbers subsumed within that range, including the endpoints (e.g. 1to 5 includes 1, 2.78, π, 3.33, 4, and 5).

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singularforms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the contentclearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, as used in this specificationand the appended claims, the term “or” is generally employed in itssense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.As used herein, the term “coupled” includes direct and indirectconnections. Moreover, where first and second devices are coupled,intervening devices including active devices may be located therebetween.

The description of the various embodiments provided above isillustrative in nature and is not intended to limit this disclosure, itsapplication, or uses. Thus, different variations beyond those describedherein are intended to be within the scope of embodiments. Suchvariations are not to be regarded as a departure from the intended scopeof this disclosure. As such, the breadth and scope of the presentdisclosure should not be limited by the above-described exemplaryembodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the followingclaims and equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method to provide information obscured to auser through a display of a hybrid-reality system (DHR), the methodcomprising: establishing a view position for the DHR relative to a firstreal-world object; receiving data associated with an occluded object atthe hybrid-reality system from a separate device over a computernetwork, the occluded object at least partially occluded at the viewposition by the first real-world object and including a hidden portionthat is hidden from the view position by an opaque surface of the firstreal-world object, wherein the occluded object is a second real-worldobject or a part of the first real-world object; presenting a view ofthe opaque surface of the first real-world object on the DHR, the opaquesurface visible from the view position of the DHR; obtaining informationabout a virtual position of the occluded object with respect to the viewposition of the DHR, wherein the virtual position differs from areal-world position of the occluded object; displaying a virtual windowsuperimposed over the view of the opaque surface of the first real-worldobject on the DHR; and rendering an image of at least some of the hiddenportion of the occluded object on the DHR in a position and with aperspective corresponding to the virtual position of the occluded objectwith respect to the view position of the DHR using the received data,clipped to be within the virtual window to simulate looking through thevirtual window at the occluded object in the virtual position.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the virtual window has an asymmetric shapethat is different than a shape of the hidden portion of the occludedobject.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the virtual window is a firstwindow, the method further comprising: selecting a subsection of theoccluded object in the first virtual window; receiving second data fromover the computer network at the hybrid-reality system associated with asecond object occluded by the subsection of the occluded object; andcreating a second virtual window on the DHR and rendering a second imageof at least a portion of the second object in the second virtual window.4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: establishing a new viewposition based on a new real-world position of the DHR; determining anew hidden portion of the occluded object to show in the virtual windowbased on relative positions of the new view position, the virtualwindow, and the virtual position of the occluded object; and rendering anew image of at least the new hidden portion of the occluded objectclipped to be within the virtual window on the DHR with a perspective topresent the new hidden portion of the occluded object to appear in thevirtual position with respect to the new view position of the DHR. 5.The method of claim 1, further comprising: moving the virtual window toa new position on the opaque surface of the first real-world object onthe DHR; determining a new hidden portion of the occluded object to showin the virtual window based on relative positions of the view position,the new position of the virtual window on the opaque surface of thefirst real-world object, and the virtual position of the occludedobject; and rendering a new image of at least the new hidden portion ofthe occluded object clipped to be within the virtual window in its newposition on the DHR with a perspective to present the new hidden portionof the occluded object to appear in the virtual position with respect tothe view position of the DHR.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein thereceived data associated with the occluded object comprises a schematic,plan, blueprint, or map of the first real-world object or the secondreal-world object.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received dataassociated with the occluded object is based on data from one or moresensors separate from the hybrid-reality system.
 8. The method of claim1, wherein the received data associated with the occluded object wasestablished at an earlier time.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein thereceived data associated with the occluded object was collected during avisit at an earlier time to an area near the occluded object by one ormore people using hybrid-reality systems with integrated sensors. 10.The method of claim 1, wherein the received data associated with theoccluded object comprises a captured image from a camera separate fromthe hybrid reality system and the image is based on the captured image.11. The method of claim 1, wherein the DHR comprises a head-mounteddisplay.
 12. An article of manufacture comprising a tangible medium,that is not a transitory propagating signal, encoding computer-readableinstructions that, when applied to a computer system, instruct thecomputer system to perform a method comprising: establishing a viewposition for the DHR relative to a first real-world object; receivingdata associated with an occluded object at the hybrid-reality systemfrom a separate device over a computer network, the occluded object atleast partially occluded at the view position by the first real-worldobject and including a hidden portion that is hidden from the viewposition by an opaque surface of the first real-world object, whereinthe occluded object is a second real-world object or a part of the firstreal-world object; presenting a view of the opaque surface of the firstreal-world object on the DHR, the opaque surface visible from the viewposition of the DHR; obtaining information about a virtual position ofthe occluded object with respect to the view position of the DHR,wherein the virtual position differs from a real-world position of theoccluded object; displaying a virtual window superimposed over the viewof the opaque surface of the first real-world object on the DHR; andrendering an image of at least some of the hidden portion of theoccluded object on the DHR in a position and with a perspectivecorresponding to the virtual position of the occluded object withrespect to the view position of the DHR using the received data, clippedto be within the virtual window to simulate looking through the virtualwindow at the occluded object in the virtual position.
 13. The articleof manufacture of claim 12, wherein the virtual window has an asymmetricshape that is different than a shape of the hidden portion of theoccluded object.
 14. The article of manufacture of claim 12, the methodfurther comprising: establishing a new view position based on a newreal-world position of the DHR; determining a new hidden portion of theoccluded object to show in the virtual window based on relativepositions of the new view position, the virtual window, and the virtualposition of the occluded object; and rendering a new image of at leastthe new hidden portion of the occluded object clipped to be within thevirtual window on the DHR with a perspective to present the new hiddenportion of the occluded object to appear in the virtual position withrespect to the new view position of the DHR.
 15. The article ofmanufacture of claim 12, the method further comprising: moving thevirtual window to a new position on the opaque surface of the firstreal-world object on the DHR; determining a new hidden portion of theoccluded object to show in the virtual window based on relativepositions of the view position, the new position of the virtual windowon the opaque surface of the first real-world object, and the virtualposition of the occluded object; and rendering a new image of at leastthe new hidden portion of the occluded object clipped to be within thevirtual window in its new position on the DHR with a perspective topresent the new hidden portion of the occluded object to appear in thevirtual position with respect to the view position of the DHR.
 16. Thearticle of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the received data associatedwith the occluded object comprises a captured image from a cameraseparate from the hybrid reality system and the image is based on thecaptured image.
 17. A hybrid-reality (HR) system comprising: a display;a structure, coupled to the display and adapted to position the displayin a field-of-view (FOV) of the user; a network interface; and aprocessor, coupled to the network interface and the display, theprocessor configured to: establish a view position for the DHR relativeto a first real-world object; receive data associated with an occludedobject from a separate device through the network interface, theoccluded object at least partially occluded at the view position by thefirst real-world object and including a hidden portion that is hiddenfrom the view position by the first real-world object, wherein theoccluded object is a second real-world object or a part of the firstreal-world object; present a view of the opaque surface of the firstreal-world object on the DHR, the opaque surface visible from the viewposition of the DHR; obtain information about a virtual position of theoccluded object with respect to the view position of the DHR, whereinthe virtual position differs from a real-world position of the occludedobject; display a virtual window superimposed over the view of theopaque surface of the first real-world object on the DHR; and render animage of at least some of the hidden portion of the occluded object onthe display in a position and with a perspective corresponding to thevirtual position of the occluded object with respect to the viewposition of the DHR using the received data, clipped to be within thevirtual window to simulate looking through the virtual window at theoccluded object in the virtual position.
 18. The HR system of claim 17,wherein the virtual window has an asymmetric shape that is differentthan a shape of the hidden portion of the occluded object.
 19. The HRsystem of claim 17, the processor further configured to: establish a newview position based on a new real-world position of the HR system;determine a new hidden portion of the occluded object to show in thevirtual window based on relative positions of the new view position, thevirtual window, and the virtual position of the occluded object; andrender a new image of at least the new hidden portion of the occludedobject clipped to be within the virtual window on the HR system with aperspective to present the new hidden portion of the occluded object toappear in the virtual position with respect to the new view position ofthe HR system.
 20. The HR system of claim 17, the processor furtherconfigured to: move the virtual window to a new position on the opaquesurface of the first real-world object on the HR system; determine a newhidden portion of the occluded object to show in the virtual windowbased on relative positions of the view position, the new position ofthe virtual window on the opaque surface of the first real-world object,and the virtual position of the occluded object; and render a new imageof at least the new hidden portion of the occluded object clipped to bewithin the virtual window in its new position on the HR system with aperspective to present the new hidden portion of the occluded object toappear in the virtual position with respect to the view position of theHR system.
 21. The HR system of claim 17, wherein the received dataassociated with the occluded object comprises a captured image from acamera separate from the hybrid reality system and the image is based onthe captured image.